What is under your tent?

What are you willing to sacrifice for? Where do you go first when you're in need? What makes you jealous? What do you think/talk about most? What can't you give up? 

This is your idol. 

Where to Find Fulfillment?

When I took my trip to Britain I had all kinds of expectations, many of which were met. I had amazing experiences that took my breath away and made me giddy with happiness. Nevertheless. After only a few hours I had the terrible realization that something wasn't quite complete. As I went through the rest of my trip I grew familiar with the sensation that I couldn't fully appreciate whatever it was that I was seeing (the Parthenon Marbles, the unique copy of Beowulf, the real-life Pemberley, etc.). I did think them magnificent, but at the same time there was a nagging feeling that I couldn't get as much enjoyment out of them as I thought I should. Have you ever had that feeling when seeing something you expected to be impressed by?

Buried Treasure, a photo by Evil Cheese Scientist on Flickr.

Under the Ban

While at Capernwray Bible School I heard a message from a man named Peter Reid about the Israelite's defeat at Ai in Joshua chapter 7. To be honest, this isn't a Bible story that we hear very often (not quite as dramatic as Noah and the Ark or exciting as the lion's den). But the message hit me right between the eyes.

Before Jericho was destroyed, God commanded His people to take no spoils for themselves but to dedicate them to Him. This wasn't being petty or selfish, it was setting aside the "firstfruits" of battle for His glory. These things were put "under the ban" to establish who was responsible for bringing Israel into Canaan. After Jericho they were allowed to keep 100% of the spoils. What a great deal!

But Achan became impatient.

This man coveted "a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight." He hid them under his tent. These things that God had claimed for his own, these things which were under the ban, became his idols.

My Idols

An idol is anything that you love more than God. It might not look like sin, but if it's a product of lust and not trust then that's exactly what it is. 

Those questions above, how would you answer them? For me during school it was a certain relationship. In general I am fine with the single girl's life. I love my independence and don't really fancy a boyfriend, or husband or anything like that. But every now and then...you know how it goes. You see people splitting off into couples, you start to feel left out, you get lonely, and then you ask God why you don't have that. 

Maybe it's something different for you—the freedom to travel, enough money to buy what you want, a less dysfunctional family, more friends—and you're even willing to sin to get it. You covet what is under the ban, and you've got something sparkly under your tent.

The Secret of Fulfillment

I have discovered the secret. It's not something you've never heard before, in fact I can almost guarantee that you know exactly what I'm going to write. However, application is a whole different ballgame. James 1:17, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." God gives good things, and without him no good thing is good (tweetable, eh?). He has been telling me to concentrate wholly on Him. I can't get the most out of life if I'm longing for this thing or that person—I've got to be 100% committed to Him or none of that is going to satisfy me.

If I'm seeking fulfillment and happiness in anything but Christ—whether it be a feeling, an experience, a person, an item—then I am coveting something under the ban, and it will never, ever, ever work.

Speaking from personal experience, I know that it is only when I give thanks to God for the good things around me that I truly appreciate them. I was feeling discontented with my trip to Britain because I felt that it should be that important. I longed for a special relationship because I thought it would be that good. Only when I stepped back and realized that I was searching for joy and satisfaction in something apart from my Heavenly Father could I understand why they didn't fill the hole in my heart. When I stop holding the people and experiences in my life to such a high standard and instead concentrate solely on God, I actually appreciate the other things much more.

What About You?

Are you focusing on something thinking it will bring you pleasure, and growing impatient instead of trusting God to give you good things? Having true faith means that Jesus is sufficient for you, and you operate out of trust, not lust. Listen to what A.W. Tozer had to say about this:

When religion has said its last word, there is little that we need other than God Himself. The evil habit of seeking God-and effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation. In the "and" lies our great woe. If we omit the "and" we shall soon find God, and in Him we shall find that for which we have all our lives been secretly longing.

"...(H)e who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). When you seek the Kingdom first, you get the rest of the world thrown in.

Here is A.W. Tozer's prayer, one that would be good for us to repeat:

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long."

More than Enough

Last but not least, here is a song that perfectly encapsulates what I've been learning and writing about. Let these words from "Enough" by Christ Tomlin sink in and repeat in your mind throughout the day:

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough....

Tomorrow?

I was upstairs in my parents' bedroom when my mom came to get something. I flopped down flat on my back. "I just don't know where my life is headed," I sighed to her.

To be honest, I've been a little overwhelmed lately by just looking at my calender for August. Perhaps you're like me in the fact that if there's something going on, if someone is going somewhere and it interferes with the family schedule, I have something to do with it. So naturally, with back to school insanity, activities starting again, and seemingly a zillion things to do before school begins anew, the family calendar is packed. The stress is starting to mess with my mind.

Also, I seem to have a moderate case of pre-new-school-year jitters. Questions (most of them ridiculous) chase each other around and around my brain like cheetahs with jet packs.
What am I going to do with myself this year?
Will I get behind in school again?
Will I get all these projects done?
What will this year be like for my music classes? Will anything change? 
(Ad nauseum) 

Sometimes I think I want the sense of confidence and certainty, like George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" when he announces, "I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that."

But, as we all know, his life doesn't go quite the way he plans.

This shouldn't surprise us, really. After all, do we really know what we're going to do tomorrow? How about this week? Or this year?

We don't.

You can plan and plan your wedding day when you're eight years old, but do you know when God will make it clear that you are going to marry?
Nope.
Do you know when tragedy will strike and leave your life in shambles?
Nope.
Do you know whether you'll die within the next 20 years or even the next 20 minutes?
No.

That's where the trust part comes in.

"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." --Jeremiah 29:11

"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

I can worry all I want about what I'm going to do with myself this August and this school year. I can plan and plan and plan and plan some more. But really, if you matched them up, the plans that my puny little brain came up with probably will fall far short of the the plan of the One created everything out of nothing.

But my God has told both me and you--many times, in fact--that His plans are better, His thoughts are higher, and He knows what He's doing.

As a dear friend of mine has said, "Break my plans, Lord. I know yours are a whole lot better." 

When Trust Doesn't Come Easy

I once wondered how anyone couldn't trust God. "He's the creator of the universe, the Alpha and Omega, he sent his son to die on the cross for us. What's not to trust?" 

Then I went to Bible school.

That experience challenged me in ways I'm still figuring out. At Capernwray I learned that I have major trust issues with my heavenly father. If you're familiar with my past posts, you know that I'm something of a perfectionist, a "good girl" who is passionate about doing everything the right way. What I'm beginning to realize is that this passion for perfection is not always driven by an all-American drive to succeed; more often it is a product of fear. Skull-crushing, heart-thumping, stomach-turning, blood-draining fear. 

And it's stopped me short of adventure my whole life.

People marvel at how I succeed at everything I turn my hand to. Sure, I have some natural talents, but do you want to know the dirty little secret behind my success? I never attempted anything I thought I could fail at. If the going got tough, I got going--in the other direction. The things that I had to muscle through (i.e. algebra) I abandoned as quickly as possible. In other endeavors where I was less-than-brilliant, I kept dragging along in misery day after day, unwilling to admit that I was a "failure" and quit instead of wasting any more time (i.e. piano). 

That was a dreary battle. 

Bible school taught me (again) that God's power is perfected not in my strength, but in my weakness. "Really? I don't have to be fantastic at everything I set my hand to? God can use me even when I'm not succeeding?" That's what I read in the Bible. That's the message I heard from the lectern.

So then the biggest test of my life came, right at the end of term. I was offered a job at the Bible school as an office assistant for one year. 

Can you imagine my fear? This sounds like the perfect opportunity: the job seems to fit me perfectly, the atmosphere is wonderful, the staff wants me to come on board, the school is located in England (a country I've always been absurdly passionate about)...what's not to love? Well, the thought that I would be away from my family for a year is enough to rip my heart out and stomp it into the dust (Homeschool girls, you know how close we are to our families!). At the same time, every indicator shows that this is God's will for me--confirmation from friends and family, circumstances working out perfectly--how can I ignore this clear call?

It comes down to trusting God. 

After several weeks of tearing my hair out, crying, seeking counsel, praying and praying and praying and crying out to God, I've come to the place where I believe this is God's will for me. He's giving me this chance, holding out the frightening opportunity to go out on a limb and do something entirely outside my comfort zone, breaking away from everything I've ever known to do something he's calling me toward. 

Would you take the leap? Would you ignore the pain in your heart and the angst in your spirit and say, "Yes, Lord, I'm going to follow you"? 

I've decided to take the job, and am now working toward getting my work visa and buying another ticket to fly to England this September. To tell the truth, I still don't feel good about it. I haven't experienced anything miraculous that I would call "the peace of God," but still I know that this is a chapter of the story that God wants me to write. Maybe the fear will go away, maybe it won't, but I know that trusting God is never a risk. He is faithful. He is the creator of the universe. No matter how I feel, he is with me and he cares for me, and he will reward those who diligently seek him.

He Won't Fail

I'm not going to lie. Life is hard, whether we want it be or not. There are moments when I am so frustrated, mad, sad, disappointed, I just want to break down. I have always been a girl to worry about everything. I am so not a laidback person, and I can always manage to think up a bad situation out of nothing.

That's why the subject of trust has been on my heart lately. And before I even wrote this post, things happened in my life that have gotten me even more down. I know what trust is, I could probably give you several verses about trust right now, but yet I have always had a hard time trusting God. Maybe it's the aspect of having to submit to someone you can't see, or maybe I just feel like I have to control everything.

The other morning I was reading in Psalms and I came across a verse. Have you ever just come across a verse that doesn't really apply to you, but it says something that just gets right to your heart? Well, that's what happened then. It was Psalms 89:28 "I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail."

There was something about the words "will never fail" that caught my attention. And then it hit me. God doesn't fail. Think about it, when has God ever failed? Ever. I mean, look at all that He has made, or read some stories about people who have come from a bad situation, and are now made new. He has never failed. Ever. And that gives me so much hope.

I used to wonder, "Why trust God?" or "How do we know that God will bring me through?" Because He has never, ever failed at His job. We fail, and if we try to fix our own problems we most likely will too, but God won't. It may not seem like He can do anything, but He can, He just wants you to trust Him.

One story that I always think of when I think of God never failing is the story of Noah and the Ark. We've all heard it before, it's a Sunday school story, but that has got to be one of my favorite stories. God told Noah to build an ark. And Noah trusted Him. Noah had enough faith to know that God wasn't going to fail Him. And He didn't. God brought him through, and showed Noah that not only does He keep His promises, He keeps His promise that when you trust Him with your life, He won't fail to make it something beautiful.

That verse gave me everything I needed to trust God with my problems. God didn't fail when He made the universe, He didn't fail when He made you. And He won't fail. Ever.

I am learning to trust God with my situations, worries, fears, and troubles, because I know that He will not fail to make my struggles end amazing. He won't fail. That is all I need to tell myself sometimes, when I am getting down. It gives me hope, it gives me peace, and it gives me assurance that God will hold you, and fix your problems in a beautiful way, if you just trust Him.

And now that I know that trusting God is the best choice I can ever make, I am just enjoying life. I am just giving my problems to God, and finding the simplicity and beauty in life. I am learning to dance in the rain.

That gave me a reason to keep faith, even when I am getting down. Because I know that my lifeguard walks on water, and my lifeguard never fails.

- This guest post and photographs are by Molly at the Molly Marie blog.  She is a girl who loves anything autumn, blue jeans, and the country. She is pretty much obsessed with music, playing both violin and guitar, and also loves to read, crochet, bake, and take pictures of almost anything.

mr. right

I'm pretty sure that, at some point, all little girls dream about something very similar. We all want a perfect wedding, with a special someone waiting at the end of the aisle for us. Many girls (/coughtotallynotmehonestcough) have had their entire wedding, from dress options to reception goodies, planned out since they were old enough to realize mommy and daddy had had a wedding, that this whole wedding thing was desirable, and that boys weren't all that bad. Some girls actually go so far as to cut out the man entirely, and plan a huge bash solely for their own benefit, in the naive hope that they can have a wedding without actually, you know, getting married. Thankfully, that stage ends right about at ten, and never really comes back.

It goes without saying that the future is a question with a lot riding on it. Even more than that is the question of who we're going to spend half of our lives with, and sometimes longer. So, to my mind at least, it's very important that we get this right. There are various ideas as to how exactly we can get it right.

Some girls choose the path of experimentation. They go through a variety of boyfriends, never quite settling down with any one, excusing it with the idea that they're saving up a list of characteristics they want, or just testing to see what they like, or just goofing off while they're young because YOLO, right? More than just spending time with guys and "dating", though, many girls also end up giving themselves in some form to one or more of the guys they date. Be it a few kisses, a few emotional concessions, or a night spent together in secret, they often go farther than they should, and realize too late that it's a mistake, that they shouldn't have ever gotten involved. Some of these girls have had "lines" that they weren't willing to cross.

I've seen so many girls give themselves away to someone who wasn't willing to be there for the rest of his life. He wasn't willing to embark upon a life spent together. Yet time and again, girls continue trusting, giving everything to someone who is undeserving. Is this what God intended for us, his daughters?

I would give an emphatic no in answer. I believe that God said:

...I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NJKV)

He knows your future, every little side-plot and roadblock, every plot twist and turn, everything that has ever happened or ever will. He knows what you will name your children and, in their turn, he knows everything that will happen to them. He's got it covered, down to every single last, seemingly insignificant detail. He knows who you're going to marry, who will be the perfect fit to round out your service, to perfectly complement your personality and skills and make your future life the best it can be.

So trust him. Don't think you have to "shop around" to find that one perfect guy who will complete you. Don't think you have to do something to find God's best for you. He'll bring it. Wait for your Mr. Right, because I know God's got it covered.

Trusting in God

Every girl goes through times that try her spirit. Perhaps her Dad has lost his job, the family is undergoing financial stress, a person dear to her heart has passed away, or her best friend has moved out of state. No matter what the reasons, no girl has a carefree and perfect life all the way through. We all face trials at some point. And sometimes they can be really hard to bear.

Image source – www.thecountryhandmaiden.blogspot.com   

At times perhaps it seems like God does not hear your prayers. It seems everything that happens is just a turn for the worse. Why does this have to happen to me? You think. Why does God have to give me so many sufferings, hasn’t He given me enough? Hasn’t this lasted long enough? Trusting in God to guide your every step can be difficult at trying times like these. But you must persevere, for you are not alone.

God tests those He loves. He is testing you, because He loves you, and because it is for your own good. He is there by you, every step of the way, there to hold your hand when no one else can. You are his handmaiden, here to serve Him, trying to do your best. He loves to see that. So many people in the world neglect, and even reject Our Lord, and your faithfulness is a great comfort to Him.

God’s ways will never be understood, but we must follow His plan with willingness. We may not see the reasons for what we are going through right now, but in the end we will see them, and we won’t be able to believe how God worked out such a masterful plan for our lives. We will look in awe at how each incident worked together to bring us to where we are now. If Dad hadn’t lost his job, he never would have found one in Kentucky, your family never would have left Virginia, and you would never have met your best friend Sarah. What a blessing a friend is! Before you didn’t have one, and you were feeling lonely, and you couldn’t believe your dad had lost his job, but look where it took you? A little perseverance back in those months of job-searching, financial stress, and loneliness pulled you through and now look what came of it.

Sometimes we have to look at the ups and downs that God sends us every day as just another step in His wonderful plan for our lives. What may be difficult now, will be better in the end. All it takes is a little cheerfulness and a perfect surrender to God’s divine will, and all will be well in the end.

- This guest post was written by Miss Elizabeth at The Country Handmaiden blog. She is a stay at home daughter who is striving to learn the traditional arts, soapmaking, spinning, gardening, sewing, canning, etc.  She loves to bake, crochet, watercolor, play Celtic fiddle, ride horses and raise bunnies.

Honestly??!!

Hello friends,

The next two weeks we will be having random posts about different things that are important to us.  Whether they be personal lessons we are learning, things we are passionate about, things that excite us or whatever else that the Lord lays on our hearts.

I've been reading lots of posts lately that talk about being honest and personal with you, our readers.  I can understand where these bloggers are coming from, as I can relate to so many of them that open their hearts and let the world see that they are not perfect and I'm thankful that they shared with their readers.  However, I've always struggled with sharing personal things on posts and today was no different as I struggled to figure out what to share with all of you.   I try so hard to look the part of a perfectly content, patient, kind, loving, purposeful, thankful and you can add whatever else you want that fits what you think is the steryotype of a Stay-At-Home-Daughter.  I may be the only homeschooled person most of the people I see, may come into contact with and I want them to have a positive picture in their mind.  I want people to see Christ's reflection in me and desire it for themselves.  I want to live a life that is filled with purpose and have a relationship with my heavenly Father that is never shaken.  I want to wake up every morning with a smile in my heart that comes from thoughts that are focused on Him.  My problem is that only God is perfect and I fail every single day at being that "perfect person."

Today was one of those days that I woke up very depressed.  There was not a smile in my heart and it wasn't a morning that I was looking forward to having devotions with my heavenly Father.  The sun may have been shining outside, but there was a thunderstorm brewing in my soul.  I think we all have days like that, but it's not something that we want to share, because it is not supposed to happen!  Even though we all know in our hearts that no one is perfect, our flesh and Satan make us feel like we are the only ones this happens to and that if anyone knew what we were thinking or how we were feeling they would think we were failures and horrible people.

Even though I knew in my heart and I knew what the Bible said, I was struggling with thoughts about God's love for me.  I felt like He knew everything that was going to happen in my life and that my prayers didn't even matter.  That although He made me, He was not fulfilling His promise of being a personal God......I know, NOT TRUE!, but it was how I was feeling!!

To top if off, I had a post to write for all of you about something that was personal.....Have you tried to write something that is supposed to be heartfelt and "spiritual" and you know that your heart isn't right?  It just isn't possible.  So I put off writing all day and God quietly worked in my life throughout the day.

First off, I was able to have the rain shower those thunder clouds were holding in my soul, with my Mom and shed the tears and release the tension that was building up inside of me.  She pointed me to Him, but the thunderclouds still stayed despite their being fully emptied. However, the release of tension was the start of His plan in calming me down. 

As we worked on different projects throughout the day, my mind calmed down and I saw the different lies I was believing about myself and then the Lord led me to watch the video posted below.  It was posted by a fellow Pinterest/Blogger friend and was such an incredible blessing to me.  The title of the video is "Father's Love Letter" and is truly beautiful.   I'm sure it has different versions of the Bible used in it, but the message is still the same.

It used all those verses that reminded me of His love, care, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness.  His forgiveness, His example, His guidance, His personal plan for each of us, His working in our lives and His promises to us.  It was exactly what this imperfect, fearful sinner needed to hear.

Then guess what happened....I got on my blogger dashboard to see what the people I follow have been writing and "Journey in the South" had a post titled "Why Live?"......The titled intrigued me as it was exactly what I had been asking myself.

Here is an excerpt from the post:

"There are things I have to do.

Questions I have to answer.

People I need to see.

People who NEED me: my little sister, my Mom, the kids at RU.

There's a life I need to live and a purpose that still needs to be fulfilled.

There's an adventure waiting just around the bend.

There's a Bible waiting for me to open it and gain wisdom and knowledge.

There are people who need my prayers - need me to get out of bed and get on my knees.

There's a reason for everything, so there must be a reason I'm here, and I don't want to miss it.

There is God, who wants me to follow Him. Because no one has the same journey as me that He has mapped out Himself and made me for."

God gave me what I needed to bring my focus back on Him and I'm thankful that He did.  He gave me the courage to share this with you and I'm thankful He did :]  I'm not perfect, but God still loves me.  I'm not perfect and never will be on this earth, but He still treasures me and I can cling to His promises that never fail.  Will I still fail? Yes, every day.  Will He still be there to help me stand?  Yes, every day.

Photo Credit: icanthrugod.tumblr.com

I found a quote on Pinterest that I thought expressed my feelings exactly and it is what I want to close with.

"I can't brag about my love for God because I fail Him daily.  But I can brag about

 His love for me because it never fails." 

 Praise the Lord!

Overcoming the Challenges!

What verses in the Bible do we find challenging?.......................................

This topic should be fun! 

When I use the word "challenge", what exactly do I mean by that?  Well, Websters 1828 Dictionary says,

CHALLENGE, n. Literally, a calling, or crying out, the primary sense of many words expressing a demand, as claim. Hence appropriately,

1. A calling upon one to fight in single combat; an invitation or summons, verbal or written, to decide a controversy by a duel. Hence the letter containing the summons is also called a challenge.



Credit given to Google images



2. A claim or demand made of a right or supposed right.

There must be no challenge of superiority.

So, when I say "What verses in the Bible are challenging?" I see the word meaning in this context, "What is God "claiming" or "demanding" of us (we who have been bought with a price and owe Him our allegiance).  What verses does He call us to obey and it is a struggle for us to fulfill them?

Well, which verse do I choose.  I am far from perfect and struggle every day to fulfill the commands of Christ and still I fail every day.  Yet I can wake every morning with thankfulness, knowing that:

Lamentations 3:21-23 "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Everyday is challenge for me to wake up with a positive outlook on life.  It is very easy for me to see the negatives and feel defeated before I even get up out of bed.  The verse that comes to mind the most is:

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Whew! This is a hard one for me.  Some days are easier than others, but it can be difficult to constantly remind myself to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report.  Sometimes the battle against the flesh and the spiritual battle we face can be overwhelming.





Credit given to google images

 However, if I am to take the challenge God has placed before me, then removing the negatives from my mind must happen first and then I must replace them with things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report (THJPL&GR).

So.....what things are "THJPL&GR?"  Well, God's Word would be the first place to look. Here are some of my favorite verses that I've been memorizing to help with thinking on the things that He is challenging me to think on.

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

Psalm 16:11 "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Galations 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

God's Word is True, Honest, Just, Pure, Lovely, and of Good Report.  There is nothing else that we could fill our minds with and think on, that would be better than His Word.  The very first verse that I mentioned (Joshua 1:8) talks about meditating on His Word day and night "so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it."  We have to meditate and be familiar with His Word in order to be able to do what He has called, commanded, or challenged us to do.  "then you will have good success."

When we are struggling with trials that have been placed in our lives we need to claim the promises of God and find the encouragement we need in the Fortress of "Trust In Him."  When we trust that He is in control and think on things that are "THJPL&GR" then we can be sure that we are inside His fortress and can see through the "positive glasses" that God will have the victory over sin and all evil one day.  We are surrounded by battle flags of victory if we would claim them for ourselves.

Credit given to google images

Battle Flags like:

Psalm 34:8 "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

1 Corinthians 2:9 "But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.'"

Isaiah 40:31 "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Psalm 18:2 "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

When we are feeling defeated, we need to think on these verses and so many others.  God's challenges to us are not impossible.  They are not unthinkable and unachievable.  He is our strength, our shield, our refuge, our fortress, our deliverer, our rock, our guide, our leader, our Savior, our Creator, our GOD.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."   

2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Though the Fields are Dry...

"Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines...

...the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls...

... yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

     I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

 God, the Lord, is my strength;

     he makes my feet like the deer's;

    he makes me tread on my high places."

Habakkuk 3:17-19

When I was younger, someone blessed me by showing me this beautiful verse. Ever since then I have loved to read it over and over again.

We will admit that there are times when we feel as if everything around us is dry and fading... when life seems so complicated, or when pain fills our hearts. There are the seasons of sorrow, and questions fill our mind, asking the Lord why He is allowing this to happen...

I know that there have been several of these seasons in my life recently, and through them the Lord is drawing me closer to Him. That is the blessed joy of those hard times... we come to learn that we cannot supply enough strength to press on. We are weak. We are weary. We are empty.

But the Lord is powerful. Mighty to save. Our fortress and joy.

Suffering is a tool that draws us to our knees, bringing us to the truth that we cannot do it on our own. The Lord is offering His strength, His joy, His love. All we have to do is accept it.

He will fill our hearts with His eternal joy, but only when we stop relying on ourselves, and begin to delight in who He is.

Our contentment should not be placed on things of this world, but on our holy and imperishable eternal home, where the King of glory sits upon His throne. He allows us to go throw these seasons to refocus our hearts on Him.

So, though the fields may be dry, the seasons painful, or the heart heavy, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. I will delight in who He is, in that He uses all things for my good and His glory, and in that He will give me His strength to live for Him. I will do these things through His power alone, for I know that I am sinful and will falter. But He is always there to pick me up, to shield me in His arms.

"Draw me closer to You, oh Lord... use what You know will humble me and fix my heart on You...

I will rejoice in You alone!"

Blessings,

Courage Through HIS Strength!

You are sitting in the car driving with a parent toward your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles).  Your heart is pumping ten times faster than its normal rate and therefore your breathing is faster as well.  When your hands lift off the steering wheel you can visibly see them shake, so you quick grab the steering wheel in a different position and then realize that you are gripping the wheel so hard, that your knuckles are white......

rita, a photo by meghannash on Flickr.

That was me December of 2008.  I had turned 18 a few months earlier and knew that it was time to get my license.  I felt comfortable with my driving, but I was nervous about the written test (What random questions would they ask and I wouldn't know them?) and the thought of driving with a police officer watching my every move was just a little (greatly) nerve wracking to me.

With all these emotions swirling around, I tried to reason with myself.  "Millions of people have taken this test and survived-this is not a life or death situation.  In the grand scheme of things, this is so small.  What is the worst that could happen?  I could fail and have to take the test again at a later date.  Not a big deal."  But my reasoning was not stopping those butterflies from square dancing in my stomach!!

If there are any kindred spirits out there, you know what I am talking about!  Being a person on the shy side, this was hard!!!

Dad and I pulled into the parking lot, parked the car and then he reached over, took my hand and prayed with me.  As he prayed, the verse Philippians 4:13 came to mind, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  And I knew right then, that God had given me that verse to help me through the next hour.  "I can do all things through Christ" played through my mind over and over and over again like a broken record.

I knew God was in control and had a reason for anything that happened that day.  I could do anything with God's strength and that was what I clung to as I circled the answers to the questions, talked with the officer, drove with him and parked back in the parking lot.

God's promises are there for us to claim and take hold of.  His Word will not return void, but full and overflowing.

Our goal over the next two weeks will be to share with you our favorite verse(s) or verse(s) that have helped us through different times in our lives.  I don't have a favorite verse, as so many of them have rung true, brought comfort and courage, and been so special through different situations I've dealt with.  However Philippians 4:13 was truly a verse that held me above the fear that was trying to bring me down and it encouraged me to trust HIM!

Oh, and for the record, God helped me to "do all things" with flying colors.  Both the written and driving test were passed on the first try! =)  God is good!

My Answer to the Inevitable Question

I've worked so hard to answer this question without any success that I've finally put it on the backburner. For years I struggled and stressed whenever I thought, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" I took personality tests, examined lists and lists of possible careers (calculating salary, location, and opportunity for advancement),  and sought advice from loved ones. I prayed until I was tired of praying, I researched until my eyes watered. And through it all there was never an Aha! moment when my future unfolded before my eyes and everything was made clear. There was a time when I was fairly sure that I wanted to be a teacher (you can hear all about it on video 1 and 2 of my high school graduation speech, or read the transcript here), but with further knowledge that dream is slipping by the wayside, or going through some serious modifications.

So here's another question: do we have to have it all figured out? Must we know at age 15, or 17, or even 20 what we want to do with the rest of our lives, as long as the next few steps are decided? My answer is, yes and no.

Yes: It's important to plan ahead; if you don't have something of a road map then you have no idea where you're going! It pains me to see some of my friends and acquaintances drift through life without any concrete goals, just vague ambitions and hopings for the best. I don't want to be flipping burgers at McDonald's when I'm 30, I'm going to make some plans.

No: If my diligent (not to say manic) research of possible career paths has taught me nothing else, it has made me realize that there are so many possibilities! Our world is one of absolutely unlimited potential. I listen to several podcasts on a regular basis which I would recommend to anyone who doubts that it's possible to find creative work that matters and that you love: 48 Days, No More Mondays, Free Agent Underground, and Coach Radio. The hosts of these shows are inspiring, revolutionary, and are constantly giving me great ideas.

But they aren't giving me a roadmap, and that's what I think so many of us want. We want God to hand down the script from Heaven and say, "Here, my child, these are the plans I have for you." Unfortunately, that doesn't happen.

What has happened, for me at least, is that I've been given inspiration for the next few steps of my journey. I started taking CLEP and DANTES tests a few years ago to earn credits for a college degree (you can learn how I earned over 84 credit hours without stepping foot in a college here). Then I enrolled in Thomas Edison State College, a fantastic (fully-accredited) school that will accept bucket-loads of transferred credits. Now I'm on track to complete my bachelor's degree in English by November of this year. What am I going to do with that degree? It's hard to say. I've tried to study in my strengths (you'll notice I didn't major in basket-weaving or algebra), because I figure that whatever my future career looks like, it's going to involve writing, and a lot of it. I also have plans to go to Bible school for several months in England, and I'm super-excited about that!

In the end, it's all a delicate balance between two proverbs,

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).

"Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. (Proverbs 4:26).

What about you? Are your next steps clear?

Questioned Proposal, a photo by Eleaf on Flickr.

Wherever the Cross Takes Me...

This is Altogether Separate's fortieth post. Forty is an interesting number. It rained over all the earth for forty days and nights. God led the Israelites through the wilderness forty years.  Jesus was on the mountain forty days and nights, tempted by Satan. A child is in the womb forty weeks...

But I digress.

Now, on to our regularly scheduled post.

As children, my friends' future careers changed on almost a weekly basis. Most of them still have no idea what they're ultimately going to do with their lives, and they rub their temples as they choose a major and pray for God's guidance on the road ahead.

I was always the odd one. I career-swapped a number of times in my early school days (though always pursuing similar fields), but well before middle school my love of animals and fascination with science fused into a steadfast pursuit of veterinary medicine.

My interest and utter enthusiasm in that area never waned (and if you find yourself particularly bored today or taking a curious fascination to strangers' childhoods you can read an essay about my peculiar and nerdy one), but as I grew older I began to wonder if doctoring animals was really what God wanted me to do with my life. After all, shouldn't I dedicate my blink-of-an-eye time on earth to serving people? Was this a God-given desire, or one to test me to see how much I was willing to sacrifice to follow Him?

It was during that time I learned of veterinary missionaries—veterinarians who abandon the comfort of their former lives to practice in less fortunate regions of the world, caring for the animals the native people rely upon for food, transportation, and income; educating them to increase the longevity of their livestock and equipping local veterinarians; and often ministering to the people in more conventional ways by distributing Bibles and helping churches and teaching English.

I came to realize there are at least as many ways to serve God as there are people to serve Him, and it was entirely possible I could serve through the veterinary field. Regardless of where life took me—overseas or here at home—I would be shining the Light He put in me by enabling me to live a holy life, and I would be fulfilling a necessary occupation in the world.

And what if this isn't what God wants? What if He wants me to marry and have children instead?

I suspect there is a good chance I am called to serve as a single woman (although honestly at this point I have no idea), but if I am to serve God by serving a husband, I will gladly devote my life to ministering to him and educating my children. If the latter, the knowledge and skills acquired in my time of singleness will probably help me in the future in ways I can't conceive of.

But the important thing is that I am content with God's plan, and I will carry my cross and follow Him wherever He may lead.

[By the way, I'm pretty sure I got all the facts right in the first paragraph, but I have the horrible habit of second-guessing myself and I don't have the time to double-check right now. So if I got anything wrong please let me know. =P]

Image credit GabrielaP93 on Flickr.

Life Purpose Planning

College?
Online College?

CLEP Studies?

No College?
Do I need a college degree to fulfill God's desire for my life?
What is God's desire for my life?
Am I pursuing God's desire's or the worlds?
What is my God given life purpose?
Am I living a vibrant, set-on-fire for Christ life?
What in my innermost being do I love so much that I want to spend the rest of my life doing?
Do I have plans and goals set in place to accomplish and fulfill my life purpose?
...................................................................................

When you read the above questions, did they fill you with dread because the answers are elusive to you, or did they fill you with excitement because you could answer them?

As the time for my graduation drew near these questions (and so many others) were flying and whizzing around in my head constantly and I didn't have an answer to any of them.

As I look back over four years since that day of graduation, I can see how God has taught me many things and I'm glad that I waited on Him for direction rather that plowing ahead in my impatience and fustration at not knowing what to do.  As I mentioned above, I didn't have the answers to all the questions when I graduated.  I wanted to have them, but they weren't there.  I learned that sometimes God just needs us to prepare our fields (lives) in faith, trusting that He will bring the rain (purpose).  And He did, just not in ways I would ever have expected.

If I could give one piece of advice to each young person preparing for graduation or planning their future, I would tell them to seek God and His direction and to ask yourselves, "Am I planning or pursuing something because God desires it of me or am I doing it because the world expects me to?"

I would also suggest a very special tool that I wish I had known about earlier in life.  This tool helps you to find your life purpose and helps you prepare for your journey to fulfilling it.

The Tool:  "Life Purpose Planning Workbook" by Dewey Novotny.

If you have never heard of this book I would highly recommend visiting their website http://www.lifepurposeplanning.org/  Our family listened to two seminars by Mr. Novotny on Embassy Institute  (I wrote about Embassy on my personal blog) about a month and a half ago and soon after ordered the book.  We have just recently started working on it, but it has bee great!

The book encourages you to get your focus on God and find out what gifts, interests, traits, personality and circumstances He has given you to fulfill the purpose He made you for.

It helps teaches you how to become a better:
1. Person (a disciple)  "Living in uninterrupted fellowship with God and showing genuine love to others."
2. Provider (a servant) "Combining skill and vision to meet the needs of those whom God has called me to serve."
3. Proclaimer (a communicator) "Communicating Biblical truth to fulfill the Great Commission and live out a vital life message."
4. Partner (a teamate) "Honoring the marriage covenant in all my relationships."
5. Parent (a discipler) " Training those God entrusts to my care and rasing up many Godly generations."

For most of us the Partner and Parent title doesn't apply to us, but if we view those roles from the perspective of teamate and discipler then they do apply. 

This book helps you to find out what people group(s) God designed you to serve.  What ministries He can use you mightily in and so much more.

As I said above, our family just recently found this book and started working on it, (It's key that your parents be involved with this planning) and it's going on four years since I've graduated! So this book is fantastic for any age - even my parents want to do if for themselves =)

Finding the purpose to why God created you is key to unlocking the door to a vibrant, God filled, future.  There may be many doors in the future that you will have to find the right key to get through, but having a peace in knowing your life purpose will point you in the right direction.

Is this book a fix-all, find-all? No, the book itself will not point you in the right direction, but much prayer, direction from God and wisdom from your parents will help you find that special and unique key to your life purpose

Finding Blessings

Hello Dear Readers,

This week and next weeks topics will conisist of writings focused on "Finding beauty in who God wants us to be" or " Being who we are as God created us to be."

As I thought about what to write on, I realized what a deep subject we are taking on and how we could spend a month rather than two weeks on this topic :]  How do I touch a subject that effects so many young ladies hearts and bring encouragement to them in a short post?

I have to admit, I write this with some trepidation.  This is an area that I struggle with and it's difficult for me to write about something I have yet to fully apply to my own life.  So, as you read this, please understand I am still working on application.

Our family has been learing a lot lately about this specific topic from Embassy Institute (I wrote about this on my blog).  Paul and Jenny Speed, two of the speakers, have specifically talked about how Satan desires us to believe different lies about ourselves that cause us to not be able to live vibrant lives, content and happy where God has placed us and with who we are. - The young women He has created us to be.    One of the points that they continue to point out is that we are made in the image of God.  If we believe lies that Satan has encouraged us to believe, like, "I'm ugly," "I'm worthless," "I'm stupid," "I need to do everything perfect in order to be loved," etcetera, then we need to ask ourselves, "Is God stupid?"  Is God ugly?" "Is God worthless?"  We are made in His image and He is not any of those things and neither are we.


Whatever it is that we believe about ourselves, we need realize that Satan is putting those lies into our heads and we need to denounce him and find who we are in Christ.  He is the only one we are to seek our validation and worth from.  If He believes we are special enough to send His only Son, to die on the cross, to take our penalty for our sins, then we as His daughters should trust Him.  He has a specific reason for the color of our eyes, hair and skin, our height and weight, our family, friends, and where we live, what our talents and weaknesses are and so much more.


Can you find the blessings in life's storms?

On of the keys to finding contentment with who we are (along with prayer & devotions) is seeing the blessings in our surroundings.  Cultivating the character qualities of gratefulness and contentment.

"Gratefulness is the foundation of a believers walk with God, and of God's daily will for our lives. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ~ In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
By giving thanks for all things, including unexpected trials, physical infirmities, people who reproach and persecute us, mundane necessities of life, distressing situations, we will pass the test of the Holy Spirit and receive the power of genuine love, joy and peace." [1]

(As I read the above paragraph I realized that the quote needed the verse Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." to go with it.  We will never be able to accomplish any of the above without Christ's help!)

"Gratefulness is defined by God as a sacrifice because it means surrenduring our natural tendency to murmur." [2]   Psalm 116:17, " I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord."

"Next to faith, this is the highest art: to be content in the calling in which God has placed you." ~ Martin Luther

God has a reason for everything, our job is to trust Him and follow where He leads.

I want to encourage you to find the blessings that surround you.  Satan has to work doubly hard on a heart that is grateful and content.

Abigail wrote on her personal blog a few week ago about a website that Ann Voskamp (author of "One Thousand Gifts") writes.  She has a free list that she will post every month, containing ideas on how to find unique and creative ways to find beauty in your life.  It has greatly encouraged me and I would highly recommend taking on the challenge of finding 1,000 gifts in a year.  Here is a link to her website.  Enjoy!

May God bless you girls with eyes and hearts that find joy, peace, and beauty in who God has made you and where He has placed you.

Striving one day at a time to follow the narrow road,