Jesus Bring The Rain!!

So, it's an interesting time in my life right now. I'm living alone for the first time ever, and while some days it's a struggle, most days I find it to be sort of a blessing. I'm learning the beauty of growing closer to God. Although, in the midst of that there are definitely moments when I feel the reality of spiritual warfare. For instance, I really feel called to serve in this one church, however there are so many reasons that it would be easier to just walk away and not go and serve there. I ultimately know though that it would make me disobedient to God. So, it's either walk with God and just endure this momentary pain, or run the other way and feel even greater pain. When faced with difficulties it is so easy to want to go the other way and take the path of least resistance. I'm also having to wait until I can sing with the praise team there after having experienced the joy of being apart of the team last Sunday, which I can understand, but it still hurts somewhat. I'm trying my hardest, totally relying on God, to not let this stuff going on distract from school which is my normal habit. So, my response to it all is to hold on to Christ. He has proved himself to be so faithful over the years, and I know I can trust in Him.

Verses that I have been holding on to now(one of my friends told me to read James, and so most of it is from there):
"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:7-10

"10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:10-11

"1Therefore, 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. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

And as always I have a song, hehe:

Bring the Rain- Mercy Me

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that
I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there'll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain

I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the lord God almighty
is the lord God almighty
I'm forever singing

Memories

Memories are funny things. They can bring you joy and then without warning one memory can bring you searing pain. No matter how you try to forget some things they can come to mind and often when you least expect it. Things that happened years ago can feel like they just happened the other day. It's funny too how memories which once brought you joy can later bring pain. Lately I've been wishing I could escape my own mind. School just started and on the first day back I found myself unexpectantly faced with past memories. It's times like this that all I know to do is to go deeper into God's arms. While I wish He could just carry me far away in those arms, I know I must simply walk with Him through this time knowing that ultimately He has a plan, and He has already made a way for me.


Salvation Is Here

God above all the world in motion
God above all my hopes and fears
And I don't care what the world throws at me now
I'm gonna be alright
Hear the sound of the generations
Making loud our freedom song
All in all that the world would know Your name
It's gonna be alright
Cause I know my God saved the day
And I know His word never fails
And I know my God made a way for me
Salvation is here
Salvation is here
Salvation is here and He lives in me

Just to know you and be loved is ENOUGH!!

I love the latest song that is playing by Robbie Seay, Song of Hope. I've been finding myself randomly singing it ever since I first started hearing it on KSBJ. Part of the lyrics really stood out to me today when I heard it, and I couldn't help but reflect on the beauty of contentment. The lines that say "Just to know that You are near is enough" and "just to know You and be loved is enough"are the ones I'm speaking about. More and more each day I am learning to find contentment in just knowing that God is near, and that He is radically and passionately in love with me. It isn't always an easy thing to remember in a culture that is always longing for more. While we must have vision and dreams ("Where there is no vision the people perish" Prov. 29:18), we must also learn to appreciate the things that are right in front of us. When things are uncomfortable or get tough the tendency is to want to rush through them or find a way out. Although it is often in those times that God is trying to mold and to fashion us to even more of His likeness. The scriptures says that God longs for us to be complete, lacking in nothing. In order to reach true completeness we must first realize that there is nothing greater than truly knowing God and realizing that every good and perfect thing comes from Him.

"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
Philippians 3:7-9

As a woman who has had her share of losses in life, without a doubt I can say that all I have gained in Christ and knowing Him is far greater. So, I choose to live with hope knowing that my God is near, and that to know Him and His love is by far enough!