Ok, as I begin this post, I frankly have no idea where it's going to end up. Sooooo, here goes. Today began with the word "change" for me. I noticed that in the word "change" is the word "hang" and I realized that so often change feels like your life is hanging in the balance. Right now, my life feels like it's hanging in the balance. I'm on choir tour with my school, and things started off pretty well, but something today went out of whack. I'm...
"To conclude this series on prayer, I have asked fellow Jessup student Sara Lewis to share her insights on prayer and experience of God through it. Please give thought to what she has to say about the power and authority given to believers!"
— David Andrew
Walking in the Spirit
Only in the last couple of years have I experienced just a taste of what it means to sit in His presence, and every time only leaves me wanting more and wishing I had...
This summer has been new: new house, new opportunities, new challenges. Most importantly (IMHO), I’ve come to experience a new season in my relationship with God. I’ve become aware of communing. Through all of the transitions this summer related to moving and all of the uncertainties about going back to school, I’ve come to a place where I find myself wanting to do nothing except be still and know that He is God. (Ps. 46:10) There is...
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” —Matthew 3:2 To repent is to change your mind, to change the way you think. Anything that we do or say, anything that we allow to set itself up against God, we are called to repent of. We are called to repent of anything that refuses to give God dominion. I was reading the Psalms today and the writer was pleading with God to bring retribution to the wicked. The wicked in this passage were...
Oh boy. This week has been the best week of summer so far. Encouraging text messages, singing the Scriptures, convicting sermons... it's like God's trying to tell me that He loves me or something. =D Allow for me to share with you one of the convicting ideas floating through my mind this week: Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In his message series entitled "The Supernatural Power of a Renewed Mind," Bill Johnson...
I was out walking earlier and came upon this view: When I saw this I started thinking about how much this is like life. Sometimes, for whatever reason, a part of who we are is missing or destroyed. God then, when the time is right, sows the seeds of renewal in our lives so that we can live abundantly. However, just like these trees will take many years to grow and mature, so God's work in us is very gradual. He has created us to operate in space...
Lately, I've been consumed with looking up. Literally. Here's a picture for you. I think my obsession with looking up has some meaning to it. I'll get to that in a little bit. I've also been enjoying gazing at vast expanses such as this one. There's something inspiring about wide-open spaces—something freeing that beckons you to run wild and take ownership of and responsibility for all that you see. Maybe that's just me, maybe it's not. I've...
I’ll be frank, I’m not sure what to say right now… I’ve been pretty tired this week. However, it’s been a joyful week as well. I’ve been learning contentment and honesty and surrender. I’ve been learning thankfulness. In my copy of the devotional Jesus Calling, I read today that I should let thankfulness temper my thoughts. What a wonderful idea. Thankfulness keeps my attitude headed in a positive direction. Thankfulness keeps me...
I just want to be mature and complete! I feel like I am constantly learning and re-learning the same lessons in life. How long will I go through this cycle of repetition? How long will I so stubbornly stick to my old ways of thinking? Change me, O God! Create in me a pure heart. I see other people pass me by on the road of maturity, learning the lessons that I somehow never fully grasped and I mourn for my own lack of understanding. Perhaps I...
I was feeling defeated today. What do I do when I feel defeated? I talk to Jesus. So, J and I were talking today and He showed me something that I hadn't fully realized. I've been comparing myself with my brothers and sisters in Christ, trying to measure up to an imaginary standard of excellence that would not bring fulfillment. I was questioning God. Why do there seem to be so many people much more talented than I? Why do I feel unneeded? Why...
