Faith Overflow

passing the baton

2012-01-31T09:37:00.000-06:00

inspiration: the final sermon of the Immeasurable series

Sunday, we concluded the "Immeasurable" series at Seacoast.
((You can read my posts about Week 2 and Week 3))

we focused on the end of Ephesians 3:21:

...throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

as Christ-followers, we are called to pour into the lives of the next generations, so that the church may continue to grow and thrive. and in order to do that, we have to "catch the bug" (passion for Christ) ourselves, we have to live it, and we have to give it away.

as a young, single woman, it's sometimes easy for me to write off a sermon like this as "oh, this is a parenting sermon. what can i possibly take away from this?" but as i;ve matured as a Christ-follower, i'm learning more and more that even though i'm not a parent and don't plan on being one for a long time doesn't mean that i need to tune out to the advice and wisdom of those who are.

in fact, i strongly believe that i need to begin preparing myself in small ways for the days to come. in the same realm of taking time to pursue Christ first before even dating in order to ensure i'm healthy as a single woman prior to entering into a relationship with someone else, i know that taking time to gain wisdom now will better prepare me when i "officially" begin to raise a new generation.

but, even as a young, single woman, i've seen ways that i've been able to pour into the next generation already. serving in the nursery at Grace and for a short period at Seacoast has definitely opened my eyes to the fact that these cute, little, often-times smelly, grumpy little toddlers are like sponges. when we say and teach them, they retain it. they may have the attention span of a gnat, but i've seen firsthand how they can learn a bible verse (or a shortened version of it) and recite it and the joy they have singing songs for Jesus.

but i've also had vast opportunities to pour into my generation, who will also go forth and help pour into the generation after us. we're all in this together - our goal and purpose being to "pass the baton" to the generations that are coming after us. it's our goal to raise up and train those that follow in our footsteps.

Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it. -Proverbs 22:6

one of my new favorite movies is Courageous.
it's powerful. it really calls men out to step up and to be the spiritual leaders of their families and to serve and protect those they love. it's amazing. (of course, i blogged about it here ;))
we may not start out on the right foot, but we can always end on it.
but in order to get to that point, there are a few things we have to be willing to do.

we have to be willing to "catch the bug" ourselves.
meaning, we must follow Christ wholeheartedly and to find our joy and passion in him. have you ever found a hobby or new obsession and you just couldn't wait to share it with others? there's apparently this thing called "Pinterest" which like 99% of my friends are obsessed with (i refuse to even begin participate because i know i will get sucked in like lint in a vacuum), but in just about every conversation i have with them, the P-word comes up. recipes. fashion. quotes. home decor ideas. just like the P-Word, we must overflow with our love and passion for Christ.

we have to be willing to live it ourselves.
it's one thing to talk the talk, but we must also walk it.

we have to be willing to give it away.
we have to not only find the passion and live out our passion for Christ, but we must also share it and give it away. this is the entire premise of passing it onto our children.

so whether you're a parent or like me and are a "future parent", we must being now to prepare ourselves for raising up a new generation in Christ. it's easy to look around us and wonder where the "good ol' days" have gone. but in order to make changes for the future generations, we must take a stand and begin passing the baton now. we must rise up and catch, live, and give in order to pass it to the next generation.

what do you need to begin doing today in order to pass the baton on to your children?

peace isn't the absence of pain...

2012-01-26T21:05:00.001-06:00

inspiration: theWell service: Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. -Romans 5:1-2

we all need peace in our lives.
peace from work.
peace from family.
peace from the chaos that surrounds us in our every day lives.

tonight, Ernest gave a powerful sermon about peace as it relates to our faith.
we're starting a new series called "Dying to Live" as it relates to Romans 5 and I'm pumped!
glad to be back in the Word and studying the impact it can have in our life! :)

the team did a "Man on the Street" video asking people "faith" meant to them and what they put their faith in.
most responded with faith being something they believed in, could trust and rely on.
and some responded with God, others family and friends.

but ultimately the thing we, as Christians, must put our faith in is Jesus Christ.

In John 14:27, Jesus says this:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

We can put our faith in anything.
Money.
Relationships.
Power.
Friends.
Family.

But ultimately, they're going to let us down.
They may bring happiness, but they won't bring peace. Only Jesus does that.

Ernest made awesome statements about the power of these verses in Romans:
Place your faith in Jesus Christ.
Access God's grace.
Rejoice in hope.

Because we have been made right with God through Jesus Christ, we have been shown a completely incomprehensible amount of love and grace; I won't use Ernest's illustration (you'll have to ask him about that ;)), but we can't even begin to imagine how much He loves us. Nothing we ever do will be good enough to please Him, but because of Christ, we are made blameless in His sight.

Talk about peace.

And we can rejoice in this peace and in the hope that Christ brings!

I'm not saying I have everything together.
Because I don't.
Never have, never will.

But I will claim to have peace in a lot of areas of my life because of my relationship with Christ.

Not only because of Christ's sacrifice for me.
But because of how he as worked in my life to draw me and others closer to Him.

I have peace, even in the midst of chaotic times (through breakups, moving, job stress, relationships, finances, family, car accidents...just saying) because i can rejoice in the fact that God is at work in every situation I encounter.

a breakup brought me back to Christ.
moving brought me in contact with so many opportunities and so many amazing people.
job stress have only made me better at my job.
...and the list goes on and on.

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

...and this is the kind of faith we should have.
Knowing that no matter what, God is at work in every situation; making sure it works together for His Kingdom.

He loves us enough to prove that every single day.
We just have to accept his grace, rejoice in Him, and have faith that in any and every situation, He WILL come through for us, even if it's not in the ways we expect.

Peace isn't the absence of pain, it's the presence of God.

"Trouble surrounds me, chaos abounding. My soul will rest in You."

What do you need to find peace about in your life?

be a circle maker.

2012-01-24T08:47:00.004-06:00

inspiration: prayer night at Seacoast last night.

every month, theWell has a prayer night, where we come together, worship and praise God for who He is and then pray for ourselves, for theWell ministry, and the Kingdom. it's always a powerful night - it's an opportunity to gather together to lift up the Kingdom in prayer.

last night was no different; it was powerful!

Ernest shared the story of Honi the Circle Maker.
i can't find the version that Ernest read to us, but here the story of Honi the Circle Maker:
(FROM: http://jhom.com/topics/rain/honi.html)

Once there was a terrible drought in the land of Israel. It was already the month of Adar, which usually marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of spring, but no rains had fallen all winter long.

So the people sent for Honi the Circle-Maker. He prayed, but still no rains came. Then he drew a circle in the dust and stood in the middle of it. Raising his hands to heaven, he vowed, "God, I will not move from this circle until You send rain!"

Immediately a few drops fell, hissing as they struck the hot white stones. But the people complained to Honi, "This is but a poor excuse for rain, only enough to release you from your vow.

So Honi turned back to heaven and cried, "Not for this trifling drizzle did I ask, but for enough rain to fill wells, cisterns, and ditches!

Then the heavens opened up and poured down rain in buckets, each drop big enough to fill a soup ladle. The wells and the cisterns overflowed, and the wadis flooded the desert. The people of Jerusalem ran for safety to the Temple Mount

"Honi!" they cried. "Save us! Or we will all be destroyed like the generation of the Flood! Stop the rains!"

Honi said to them, "I was glad to ask God to end your misery, but how can I ask for an end to your blessing?"

The people pleaded with him, and he finally agreed to pray for the rain to stop. "Bring me an offering of thanksgiving," he told them, and they did.

Then Honi said to God, "This people that You brought out of Egypt can take neither too much evil nor too much good. Please give them what they ask so that they may be happy."

So God sent a strong wind that blew away the fierce rains, and the people gathered mushrooms and truffles on the Temple Mount.

Then Shimon ben Shetakh, head of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, said to Honi, "I should excommunicate you for your audacity,[4] but how can I, since you're Honi! God coddles you as a father does his young child. The child says: 'Hold me, Daddy, and bathe me, and give me poppyseeds and peaches and pomegranates,' and his father gives him whatever he wants."

So it was with Honi the Circle-Maker.

Here is a video by Mark Batterson (he wrote a book called The Circle Maker, which I want to read!)

Honi prayed boldly.
He didn't leave the circle until his prayer was answered.

And last night, I was challenged to draw a circle myself.
I was challenged to pray boldly, knowing that God hears my prayers.

And I did.
For the first time ever, I prayed for my relationship with my mother. I know that God is the ultimate healer and the almighty God of the universe! i know that no matter what, i am going to stand in my circle and pray for my mom and pray for a mended relationship; we're not on bad terms by any means, but i know that our relationship isn't as strong as others in my life. i want 2012 to be a powerful year - and this year, i'm standing in a circle and praying boldly for rain to come in the form of healing!

what do you need to pray boldly about?

to God be the Glory

2012-01-22T09:46:00.001-06:00

inspiration: Week 3 of our "Immeasurable" series at Seacoast

so we've been in a series called Immeasurable at Seacoast.
((you can read my blog about last week's message HERE))

but this week, we focused on the first part of Ephesians 3:21:

...to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus...

Let me preface the remainder of the blog with a question...
Have you ever heard a sermon that you were certain the pastor was talking right to you?
Have you ever thought "How did he know about the situation with so-and-so?!"
Well, let's just say, I had that experience last night.
...and it was like a kick to the gut....

Greg started off with a question "Does anyone own a scale? Have you ever gotten on that scale and thought 'This is not right?! I cannot possibly weigh this much! This is not me!'". And he went on to ask if someone's ever tagged us in a picture on Facebook that does not accurately reflect us and then proceeded to ask:

"What does the picture of God look like when people look at me?"

Confession: At this point in the sermon, I had had a few good laughs and was starting to feel good about the message. On most days, I feel like the picture I portray of God is fairly accurate...I have my quiet time; I spend a good part of my day in prayer and meditation; I serve in church; in fact, i'm studying the Gospels in my quiet time so that i know how to be more like Jesus...that's pretty good, right?!

Greg gave us a few points to remind us that God is glorified in the church when we capture our thoughts toward one another......so now, things start going downhill...

He started making references to the construction that is taking place in Mount Pleasant (something I completely suffer through every morning when I go to work...There is construction going on right outside my door and it's totally and utterly frustrating!) and how he was frustrated with it and angry sitting in traffic and he began to question the engineer who designed it and whether it would even be worth it. But he had a kairos moment with God, who revealed to him "you must focus on the final project" and it completely changed Greg's perspective.

"We need to visualize the final project and rejoice in the construction" -Greg Surratt.

Philippians 1:6 says:

And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again

Greg also reminded us that often times, we're frustrated with the people around us (here's where the gut-checks start coming into play)...But it's not the people we're around that are our enemies - it's Satan and the false thoughts that he places in our minds. We're not at work against people - we're at work against evil spirits.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. -Ephesians 6:12

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. -2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Now let me back up for a second...
Prior to church, my roommate and I had been absolutely blasting her previous living situation; we were fed up with what (in all honesty) is a petty situation that carries no real weight or significance in any realm. We were blasting her previous roommate about how she was acting immaturely and selfishly. We were criticizing her nagging "holier-than-thou" attitude, when in reality, what were we doing??

We were painting a completely inaccurate picture of the Jesus of the Bible. And that's when it hit me, I've been studying Matthew and Jesus' teaching, but I'm not applying it.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. -Matthew 5:7-9

...so where was the mercy, purity of heart, and peace in the conversation with my roommate? Oh yeah...completely absent. Ouch.

...but it only gets better.

God is glorified in the church when we purify our words toward one another.

...and let's just say my words about the aforementioned girl were not pure. at all.
Last year, my small group read through the book of James. James 3 is all about taming the tongue.

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. -James 3:5

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? -James 3:10-11

Ouch!!!

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. -Ephesians 4:29

My words were not building anyone up; nor were they beneficial to anyone. Not even myself. If anything, the words I said were breeding nothing but contempt and pride.

Lastly, we glorify God in the church when we direct our actions toward one another.

In the same way, let your light shine before man, that they may see your good deeds and praise our Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:16

As i sit here typing this blog out, I'm wearing a 7 year old hoodie that says "TRI-HI-Y" (an organization I was in in high school) that says "Matthew 5:16" on it and has a picture of a lighthouse on it. I wear this hoodie frequently (because I take great pride that i've had it since my sophomore year of high school) but also because it's a reminder that i'm meant to shine a light in order to draw people to Christ.

but my actions last night proved to do nothing but tear others down and to propel me further from Christ by laying the foundation of a "holier-than-thou" attitude in my heart.

luckily, i know that despite my, often times, inaccurate portrayal of God doesn't keep me from being loved by him. He still chooses to use me. He still loves me. and He is still going to do a good work in me until the day of completion when I am reunited with Christ.

i can take credit for nothing in my life because it's moments like these when i realize just how desperately i need God.
so for all my accomplishments and great works: to God be the Glory!

i am CHOSEN

2012-01-20T07:25:00.004-06:00

inspiration: chosen conference.

last night and today, seacoast is offering a women's conference called CHOSEN.

Ephesians 1:3-6 states:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

as women, it's easy to lose sight of ourselves in a world that is commanding us to "look this way" or to "do this and that" and "girl, you don't need to eat that, it will go straight to your hips".

it's easy to forget that we've been CHOSEN by God to do His will so that His name might receive glory!
i had the great opportunity last night to attend the opening session with Lisa Bevere.
AMAZING!

it was so encouraging to hear a message of empowerment and encouragement: a command to step up and be the woman that God is calling me to be!

"The enemy has a better awareness of who we are than we do. We are always under attack..."

this is SO true!
Satan tries to attack us and tear us down before we even know and can realize who we are! He doesn't want us to become godly women, He wants us to fall into the lusts of the world so that we don't do the work of the Lord.

but instead, we are to be Proverbs 31 women: virtuous and capable!
We should be empowered to do good and to do whatever is necessary for mankind!

we are to build each other up.
Lisa made a comparison between men and women...
Men compete with each other to build each other up ((that whole total alpha-male dominance, right?? *wink wink*))
Women compete with each other to tear each other down

Unfortunately, i think there is a lot of truth to that statement. Women are created for relationship, but why do we compare ourselves to each other rather than build each other up? (Ephesians 4:29)

Lisa challenged us to begin writing our lives well.
To begin living as virtuous and capable women of God.
To teach and lead younger generations of women to build them up!!

God is calling us to live with dignity and strength.
It's hard and it's scary, but I loveeee what she said:

"God loves to make you face what you fear because when you do, you become fearless"

But he's commanding us to be strong and courageous:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. -Joshua 1:9

We are where we are right now because He needs us to be here.
We are called to serve Him for His purposes.
We have been chosen!!

the single gift.

2012-01-17T22:01:00.002-06:00

inspiration: poem from lady in waiting.

i've been reading through lady in waiting; i'm still going through my one-year of not dating (and still struggling with staying focused on Christ first and foremost in my life, especially when there is someone who has my attention and i have his), but staying rooted in Scripture and staying rooted in my purpose of developing godliness and discipline is definitely helping...

i read this poem earlier and it really encouraged me.
i definitely agree and i definitely encourage everyone, male or female, to read it and be encouraged.

pursue God first and foremost and everything after will fall into place!

The Single Gift

How blessed you are, you single one,
Don't talk of care and woes.
You've got too much to be thankful for,
Oh what, you'd like to know.

It's no mistake, no misdirection
Of God's perfect plan
That you've not found your special lady
Or you, that certain man.

God loves you so and has much more
To give than you've ever received.
That He's giving His best to you right now,
You really must believe.

His best is Himself, do you have it in full
Or only a bit on the side.
No man can meet your needs like God,
Nor can a lovely bride.

If your life's not complete, you know that Jesus is
And your life He will fill
If you'll only put Him first each day
And live to do His will.

He's gifted you for undistracted
Devotion to the Lord.
There should be nothing that can interfere
With Him and prayer and the Word.

Unless you let down the guard of your heart
And let others take His place,
Then you'll lack joy and peace and hope
And not experience His grace.

So give your heart right back to God,
Let Him keep it safe for you.
And when it's better than His best,
He'll make your one into two.

-Donna Mihura

Love this.
No matter what our relationship status, we are to pursue the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength. The blessing of being single is that you get to do that more easily.

So if you're single, embrace this time to strengthen your relationship with the Lord and to prepare your heart for what is to come. :)

according to His power that is at work within us...

2012-01-15T08:07:00.001-06:00

inspiration: Ephesians 3:20b

at Seacoast, we're in the middle of a series called "Immeasurable" which is based off Ephesians 3:20-21:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Last night, Josh Surratt gave an awesome message regarding the second half of Ephesians 3:20.
I love the way he boils it down to terms we understand: iPhones (or in my case, the anti-iPhone - Droid, ftw)

Sometimes we lose power; we let our "batteries die" - we lose that "connection" with the God. But, we were promised the Holy Spirit - the Comforter, our Guide - when Jesus told the disciples He would be departing from this world.

And because we have the Holy Spirit, we have power! We are able to immeasurably more because of this power!
Some of the "apps" (spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit imparts in us) that Josh mentioned were comforting app (He is the Great Comforter, after all), guiding, teaching, witnessing, convicting, and convincing. These are all things that the Holy Spirit gives us.

Something that was amazing about this sermon is that it ties in directly to what we're talking about in my small group: spiritual gifts.

Last week, I challenged my small group to take the Spiritual Gifts test.
It's so important for us to realize that we were all uniquely and wonderfully made! God knew the plans He had for us before we were even conceived.

For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well. -Psalm 139:13-14

It's easy to look at others around us and say "I wish I was good with kids" or "I wish I the spirit and ability to give like they do" or "I wish I could pray like them". But we're not cookie-cutter people, so why do we think we should have the same spiritual gifts as everyone else. The Holy Spirit gives us all power that differs from our other brothers and sisters because He has a unique role that we must play in His plan!

When we hone into our unique spiritual gifts, we are able to do immeasurably more for the kingdom than we could ask or imagine.
I took a spiritual gifts test for the first time a few months ago and two of my top spiritual gifts are faith and exhortation and I realized that I've been sharing those gifts through this blog; if I had gotten caught up in the fact that I'm not a great evangelist or a great giver, i may have never realized the impact i'm making in others' lives.

When we hone into our unique spiritual gifts and use those to serve the body of Christ, we are able to do immeasurably more as the body of Christ.
Each of us play an important role in the body of Christ and when we come together to build each other up and to do the work that Christ is calling us to do, there is nothing that can stop us! For if God is for us, then who could be against us?!

Have you ever taken a spiritual gifts test?
If so, what are your top gifts?

love God. love others. be the change.

2012-01-13T05:10:00.002-06:00

inspiration: theWell's satellite service last night.

last night, Ashley and I had the privilege of hosting our first theWell service last night at our new apartment! it was awesome - we had 17 people (not including Ashley and me) come and worship and fellowship with us and it was just an amazing, amazing sight.

We had worship and then Ernest gave a powerful message.
He was casting vision for theWell for 2012. Our mission is three-fold:

Love God.
Love Others.
Be the Change.

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. -Luke 10:27

A lawyer asked Jesus, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus, questioned him in return asking, "What have you read?" and Luke 10:27 is the man's response. Jesus replied that it was correct and if he lived in this way, he would live."

Granted, we cannot earn eternal life - the only way we can do that is by believing that we can never earn salvation because of our sin and brokenness but believe that Jesus died on the cross for us in order to reconcile us to God forever!

But in order to show others where our hearts are, we must do the three things mentioned above: love God, love others, and be the change. After the message, during our "response" time, we had some discussion about what loving God, loving others, and being the change meant.

I know that for me, it's hard to love God and to love others sometimes. When things are good and when we are around people we love, it's easy to love them back. It's easy to love God when the wind is in my sail and I'm not struggling to move forward. It's when we're around those we don't love and when times are hard that it's hard to love other and love God. a few girls and i were also discussing how important it is to be in community with others and while i didn't want it to sound like i was promoting our small group or making a self-promotion, but it was really encouraging to hear others talk about how important small groups were in order to help us grow as Christ followers but to also be a part of the body of Christ.

ernest also challenged us to be the change; it's so easy to sit back and say "we want change, we want change" but to not follow through and to make something happen. i can say firsthand that the only reason i am as strong in my faith as i am is because i followed the calling God placed on my heart to begin serving. i began serving at Grace Community Church in the preschool ministry at a time where it was the last thing i wanted on my plate and at a time where i thought "kids aren't my thing", but i found so much healing and i had my heart completely changed. that was me being the change.

we don't have to raise money to cure cancer or feed the homeless to be the change, although those are incredible ways to serve! simply stepping up in the church, helping a friend, inviting a co-worker to church: all of these are ways to be the change. obeying Christ's calling for you is being the change. He has plans for each and every one of us and when we allow Him to guide our paths and when we step out in faith, we become the change!

i'm excited to see what 2012 has in store for theWell and what it has in store for me!

Did you attend theWell's satellite service last night? What did God speak to you about?
If you didn't, what are you looking forward to most about 2012?

lady in waiting.

2012-01-08T20:05:00.000-06:00

inspiration: just started reading lady in waiting.

I feel very strongly that marriage is not a higher calling than the single state. Happy indeed are those people, married or single, who have discovered that happiness is not found in marriage but in a right relationship with God." -Gary Chapman

The past few weeks have been incredible in a lot of ways. someone special has come into my life and while it's been realllllly hard to stay focused on God, i trust in whatever He has planned for us. it's amazing to see God's hand in all of this, because when you truly are focused on Him and not on "finding mr./miss. right", He does bless you.

i've been really struggling in this new friendship though, because it's been easy to say and to think "in may, it will be different..." but thanks to some awesome friends and accountability partners, i was challenged to get back on track and to be pursuing Christ first and foremost in my life, as i am called to do.

and as i began reading Lady in Waiting earlier and came across the Gary Chapman quote, i realize that no relationship will ever fulfill me except my relationship with Christ. i love the way the authors put it:

Incompleteness is not the result of being single, but of not being full of Jesus.

And they also went on to say that we are not created to "complete" in one another, but to "complement" one another. Only Jesus can complete us and trying to complete each other through relationships will only burden each other.

it's hard, at least for me, to understand and realize that the longing and desire in my heart for relationship isn't for a man. i can try and fill it with relationships all i want, but it will never be enough. only God can fulfill that deep desire.

right now, i am a lady in waiting for a relationship with whomever God has planned for me.
but i'm also a lady in waiting for God, above all.
it's going to be a long four months of refocusing and pursuing Christ first once more.
but it will be worth the wait and worth the fight.

happiness is not found in marriage (or a relationship), but only in right relationship with God.

...and for all of us who are waiting, let us serve and be thankful for where God has us!

it's just a ring

2012-01-05T16:37:00.002-06:00

inspiration: i wish i had more photogenic hands.....

(i wish i had more photogenic hands...)

a girl in my small group got us all rings that had the number "3" engraved on them.
the 3 represents the Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

it's just a ring.
but i absolutely love it.

it's a reminder (along with my "faith" tattoo) of who I am and who I live for.
this life isn't mine to squander - it's mine to glorify God with.

i am reminded when i wear it that God is to be my first love.
and any man that chooses to replace this ring with a diamond must love God first, too.

all too often, i think women just want the ring.
we want marriage.
or a husband.
or maybe we just want a big ol' blingin' diamond.
and these things in their proper context aren't bad in themselves.
but when we make these things ultimate things, they become idols and separate us from God.

i fall into that trap a lot (wanting a boyfriend; a relationship; a ring; a wedding), i ultimately know that it's nothing in comparison to the relationship i have with Christ. i've read in several different blogs that sometimes we (women) plan the wedding but don't plan the marriage.

while i don't plan on getting married anytime soon, i plan on being intentional about every relationship i'm in. i hold marriage in high regard because it's the representation of the most beautiful marriage of all - Christ and the Church.

i pray that one day a godly man will replace this ring, but for now, i cherish this ring and all that it represents - an undying devotion and relationship with Christ.

accountability.

2012-01-03T12:00:00.002-06:00

inspiration: having accountability in your life makes a world of difference in your relationships.

opening up to other believers is hard.
sharing your wounds.
your hurt.
your struggles.
it's painful.

but having accountability in your life can strengthen your relationship not only with those around you, but with Christ.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. -James 5:16

until recently, i was hesitant to have accountability in my life.
but now i have it in my relationship with Christ and with guys, tithing, running, finances.
and while i always feared i would fall into a legalistic trap, i actually sometimes feel freer and closer to God because of all the people He has placed in my life and the relationships He has blessed me with.

the first time i really had accountability in my life was over two years ago, when i asked my sister to hold me accountable to texting her every day to let her know something good about my day (it was during a time where i was battling spiritual and emotional warfare and was borderline depressed) and to let her know something that i was going to let go of (i was also battling anger and resentment and guilt). and although it was just two texts a day, it was the beginning of a strengthened relationship with Christ and my sister still reminds me every once in a while of those texts that really strengthened our relationship as well.

i've always been a fairly independent girl.
i like being in control of myself.
not depending on anything or anyone else.
but sometimes, you need someone walking with you and holding you accountable to yourself and to God.

like James 5:16 states, the prayer of a righteous man is powerful.
when we lift each other up and build each other up in Christ, we become more like Christ;
when we confess our sins, we acknowledge that we aren't in control, but that God is.

it's never easy to get called out by your brothers and sisters in Christ.
it hurts.
but sometimes, you need to have some to share your life and struggles with.
someone to walk you through the valleys and the hills so that you can enjoy the view from the top when you overcome all your struggles.

so if you're struggling in your walk with Christ, pray that He would bring someone in your life to walk with you. to keep you accountable. to strengthen your relationship with Him.

it may not be easy.
but it will be worth it.

dear future husband.

2011-12-29T11:00:00.000-06:00

inspiration: a letter to my future husband and a word of encouragement to us all.

dear future husband,
i don't know who you are or where you may be right now - i'm actually sitting in the public library in mount pleasant because i don't have internet access at my apartment right now. it sounds kind of lame and it sort of is, but one day you'll realize that all my lame moments just make me who i'm supposed to be. (oh yeah, and you'll also know that i'm super cheesy and witty as well).
i'm writing this to you because i know that one day we will meet.
we will fall in love.
and we will live happily ever after.
...or not so much, really. we live in a world that is broken and lost; society and culture are feeding us advice that completely contradict biblical wisdom, in many cases. rather than promoting biblical love and humility, we're being fed selfish ambition and power hunger.

but despite all that, i want you to know that i've been praying for you. on may 18, 2011, i began truly praying for you and, despite all that society is telling me i should do and despite all the temptations to give into flesh, i vowed that i would honor and respect you in words and in actions by not dating until i met you. i've made my fair share of mistakes in the past - ones that you'll know about - but regardless of the past, i know that i was made new in Christ and i know that everything that happened only led me to become the woman you will one day call your wife.

i know we'll have struggles and fights.
i know we'll butt heads and disagree.
but regardless, i will be committed to you.
i will honor and respect you.
i will stand behind you.
all i ask is that you support me.
forgive me.
lead me.
and love me.

we won't be perfect.
but i know God's plan for us will be.

love,
your future wife.

i decided to write this today after thinking and reflecting about my one-year of no dating and how much i've learned and grown during everything. there are a lot of things that i'm not proud of in my past. but i press on looking forward to the person that God has planned for me.

it's reallllllly hard being in the middle of a season that you wish would end.
it's hard to see the big picture when you're in the middle of the whirlwind called life.
but i'm totally encouraged knowing that some day, there will be a man out there who will appreciate and love me for who i am, despite my past, despite my flaws.

sisters in christ, i pray that you will do the same.
wait for God's best for you.
never settle for less than what you deserve.
persevere and know that you are worth the pursuit and fight.
respect men and know that God has someone for you.

brothers in christ, honor women.
lead them.
protect them.
love them.
fight for them.
we all know that you have the desire to be the person that a woman needs, so be that person.

looking back.

2011-12-28T17:26:00.002-06:00

inspiration: the 2011 chapter of my life is almost complete.

so 2011 has definitely been interesting: in 2011

i've been launched out of my comfort zone into a completely new world.
i've grown as a programmer.
woman of God.
friend.
leader.
and as a person, in general.

i finished out Christmas with a "BANG" (literally).
i was in a wreck.
luckily no one was hurt badly, just a few bruises and scrapes.
i realized a few things from it though - 1) the value of true friendship and 2) i realized how much stronger my relationship with Christ has come this year.

1) the value of friendship.
i was in shock for most of the time after the crash, but i never cried. quite a shocking things, really, considering how emotional i am (every time i watch UP! i have to give myself a pep talk and tell myself "i'm not gonna cry, i'm not gonna cry, i'm not gonna cry).
i realized that it was only a car. it can be replaced.
i realized how at peace with everything i was despite the chaos around me.
i realized that i am blessed with friends here that care immensely about me.
i realized that God has a special and unique plan and purpose for this.

i spent my first Christmas away from home this year.
but three friends, holden, lindsay, and bryce all welcomed me into their families so i didn't have to celebrate alone. holden actually came and stayed with me right after the wreck - which is why i think i stayed so calm after the whole shebang. but these three friends are so special to me because looking back, i was one of the first people to welcome them at theWell and they were now exchanging that courtesy with me.

sometimes, it's the little things - going out of your way to say "hello" and to talk to someone; inviting people to sit beside you at church - that plant the largest seeds in someone's heart and life. i think about an acorn. it seems so insignificant. but plant it and nourish it and it becomes an oak tree that will produce more and more acorns.

2) my relationship with Christ.
i remember right before i moved to Charleston having a conversation with my sister about how nervous i was about moving from my church family. it was the strongest tie i had to tennessee and the hardest to leave. but i have had so many opportunities at seacoast, it's kind of ridiculous.

theWell has really challenged me to step out and step up in my relationship with Christ.
i've become a leader in many respects and while i had self-confidence before, i now have Christ-confidence; sharing my faith with those around me here is becoming easier and easier. i mean, don't get me wrong, it's hard to face certain people, but i have gained more knowledge and more wisdom since i've moved here and i'm thankful for every opportunity i've had.

in the midst of the wreck, i couldn't help but sense God holding me.
i was in a wreck over 3 years ago (passenger, that time) and i remember coming out of that bruised and sore, but i also remembered all the God moments that came from that wreck. and i know that this wreck is no different. God has a plan for it.
He will use it to draw me closer to Him.
He will use it to minister to others.
He will ultimately use it for His glory.

looking back, 2011 was an amazing year.
i can't wait to see where 2012 takes me.

what did you learn during the 2011 chapter of your life?

2012 goals: my first video log

2011-12-23T12:29:00.001-06:00

inspiration: a little bit of insomnia and the desire to branch out of my comfort zone.

what do you get when you cross 1AM with an insomniatic crazy asian and a webcam? this video. but despite the fact that i need to learn how to sit still and not fidget when i talk, i quite enjoyed making this video log (or as the interweb-savvy people call it: a vlog).

what are your 2012 goals?

lessons from blogging for two years...

2011-12-15T07:27:00.003-06:00

inspiration: Faith Overflow is two years old!!

that time has come again...
another birthday to celebrate...
except this time, it's for this blog.
(sorry, there are no candles or cake or presents)

but i do want to take a few minutes to express some of the things that i've learned over the last two years...

i started this blog to find healing, it was written mostly for me to have a way to put into words how i truly felt about the situations i was in. i never imagined that two years ago, it would still be up and running; i never imagined that i'd have a handful of followers who actually enjoy reading what i write; i never imagined it would impact those around me, bringing wisdom and healing for others as well. God is good in that: He uses others, broken, messed up, hurting people to bring healing. not only was i able to find comfort by being open and honest about my relationship with Christ and my struggles, but i was also able to minister to others as well. every little piece of pain can and will be used by God. every broken person can be used as well.

"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 thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:12-17)

God's plans are rarely our plans. Two years ago, I never would've imagined I'd be as strong in my faith as I am now; I never imagined I'd be surrounded by people I love and with a job that I love in Charleston. I thought, at best, I'd be in Nashville; maybe I'd still have a lot of close ties with people from Grace and I definitely would still be attending there, even if it meant a long commute on Sunday mornings. But God wanted to stretch me. He wanted me to experience more than the fishbowl life I was living in - hence a move away from everyone and everything I knew and was comfortable with.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9)

"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." (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

those are by far the two biggest lessons i've learned over the past two years.

what has God been teaching you lately??

12:10

2011-12-10T10:05:00.001-06:00

inspiration: today's date.

yesterday, i wrote about 2 Corinthians 12:9.
but it's a new day, therefore, it's a new verse:

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Again, this verse is so counter-cultural, but so powerful.
There are a lot of weaknesses that I'm not content with.
I don't like insults or hardships. or persecution or calamities, for that matter.
But for the sake of Christ, we are made strong in them.

It's often in the moments of weakness that God can exert His mighty hand of grace and build us up. When you're at rock bottom, the only place to go is up, right? I've definitely experienced that in my life (again, the season of my life when this blog started). When we are willing to be weak and vulnerable with God and with other Christ-followers, we are given the opportunity to become stronger than we were before.

Our relationship with Christ isn't about having all the right answers or being strong all the time, although, sometimes we think that's the case. But the point of being a Christ-FOLLOWER is to do just that; rely on Him to guide us and to lead and comfort us. After all, when we're strong, we don't need anything or anyone to hold on to, right? The healthy don't need a doctor, rather the sick (see Matthew 9:12, Luke 5:31, Mark 2:17).

Don't get me wrong, when bad things happen, we're not meant to instantly begin praising God for them. My pastor at Seacoast, Greg Surratt, puts it this way (not an exact quote, but the thought is the same): "We're not meant to praise God for a broken leg. That's not worship, that's twisted! We're meant to trust Him to use that season with that broken leg, knowing that it's going to make us stronger and that it will be used for a purpose."

Think about this, when you break a bone (which *knock on wood* hasn't happened to me yet), when it heals, it heals stronger. If you break that same bone, it won't be in the same place you broke it before. When we're in the midst of trials and moments of weakness, it strengthens us. God uses those moments to shape and mold us. Even when we encounter the same trials, we don't encounter them in the same way.

If you're in the midst of weaknesses and trials. Pray.
Pray for comfort, wisdom, and strength.
Draw close to the Creator and Author of life.
Depend on Him.
He will never fail you - He will only make you stronger.

12:9

2011-12-09T20:52:00.001-06:00

inspiration: todays date.

Today is december 9th.
Consequently, one of my favorite verses is 2 Corinthians 12:9. It reads, 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 about my weaknesses.

We live in a culture and time that applauds pride and success. Very rarely do we take the time live humbly and remind ourselves of who we are and what was done for us...maybe it's just me, but I don't boast about my weaknesses.

I'm quick to tell others of my achievements.
But I want to hide my insecurities and doubts.
Let's not look at the warts and scars, let's focus on the beauty marks.

But Paul writes boldly about boasting in our weaknesses. Because Christ's power shines through when we are weak.
This blog was started almost two years ago at one of the lowest and weakest points in my life and in my faith. But it's a true testament of his power and his grace!! And to the handful of readers who have followed it since the beginning and to the few who know my past and my story, all I can say is that His grace and His love are truly remarkable and powerful!

When we come to him with a broken and contrite heart, God is faithful to come through for us. When we realize our weaknesses, He makes us strong. We can try to hide our pain and problems, warts and scars with facades and false images. I've done it before and still struggle with seeking approval of man instead of peace with God.

But in our weakness, He shines.
When we realize we can't make it without Him, His power is made perfect.

For me, I struggle with guarding my heart.
I invest a lot in my friendships and I want to receive some sort of return on investment. But when it comes to romantic feelings, it's hard for me to stay guarded and protect myself. I give and give and it often isn't returned.
That's my weakness.
It's led to mistakes and broken hearts.
But I've found healing in His power and willingness to redeem. His grace brought me where I am today and has radically changed my perspective and outlook.

Today, I boast in weaknesses.
For Christ's power is made perfect in them.

(to be continued)

fathers, be good to your daughters....

2011-12-03T10:47:00.001-06:00

inspiration: a friend on facebook posted this article.

http://www.fromdatestodiapers.com/50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters

maybe my dad will stumble upon this blog and read this and cherish every memory he and i ever had.
maybe he won't.
but one thing's for sure - (almost) every post rang true.
(i particularly laughed at the "fishing" one....let's just say the "squirming more than the worm" part was VERY true!)
my dad told me i was beautiful every day and supported me in everything i did, even if he thought otherwise, and was there to pick me up when my stupid decision backfired on me.

but for fathers out there, i encourage you to invest in your daughter.
you will set the standard for the type of guys she is friends with, dates, and the man she eventually marries.

if you're a "someday-father" (not one yet, but want to be one day), save this.
and when that day comes, heed every word of advice.
no relationship will ever be the same as a father-daughter relationship.

if you're a father and you feel like you have no hope.
turn the attitude around and start being the dad.
there's a quote from the movie "Courageous" (which, you should see as well!) where one of the main characters tells his son "I didn't start well, but I want to finish well!" -- it's not about how you started, it's about how you finish!!

"the adventure of calling"

2011-12-01T21:10:00.001-06:00

inspiration: sermon at theWell

(Check out Simon's ministry's page)

God is calling every single one of us to contribute to His kingdom.
every. single. one. of. us.
we may not see it that way when we attend church.
but we are all called to play a unique and integral role in the body.
we are called to step up and to live for HIM.
not ourselves.
not money.
not fame.
not wealth.
not power.
not an of that.

we are called to live out of grace.
humility.
love.
obedience.
and out of gratitude for ALL God has done for us.

tonight at theWell, we had a guest speaker named Simon Guillebaud, who spent much of the last several years living in war-torn Burundi. he felt a calling of God to leave all he had - career, family, money, possibility of a family, security - to go to central Africa.
and he accepted the calling - risks and all.

he shared that he had been threatened with grenades, seen people around him die, war, everything. but he had also been a part of reaching hundreds of thousands of others to Christ.
worth the risk? when it comes to the Gospel, i'd say so!

Simon shared with us pictures of his background, including a picture of his wife and three children; he has two sons and one daughter, Grace, who was named after another girl in Africa who had been aborted and thrown into a latrine hole, but someone saw her, literally covered in waste and, picked her up out of the filth weighing only two pounds, cleaned her off, and raised her now she is growing and thriving!

and Simon made the illustration that that's what Christ does for us! when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are literally picked up out of our filth, cleaned off, and made new! and this is why we are called to live out of gratitude, bringing God's name glory in all we do!

the message hit me really hard tonight.
not because it was a guest speaker.
not because of the pictures of Africa.
not because of the amazing stories Simon brought.
but because it really brought me face-to-face with a question that i always hate hearing: "Would I be willing to go ANYWHERE and do ANYTHING to bring glory to Christ?"

if i'm honest. if i'm truly honest, deep-gut-core-feeling, the answer is no.
i'm ashamed to say it, but being honest.
i would love to get to a place where the answer changes. and based on how much God has been working in my life recently, i'm confident that one day, He might just grant me that desire.

but i like my life.
i like my job.
i like my car.
i like my friends.
i like my family.
i'm doing quite well for myself here.
i'm making a name for myself.
i'm building community with people i love.
life. is. good.

but fifty years from now, will i look back and wish i had done more to serve Christ?
will the money, the job, the car, the security of it all even matter?

one of my favorite books (that i will probably re-read in light of this message) is In A Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.
one of the quotes that i've underlined so heavily you can see it through the other side:

"Faith is risky business. The goal of faith is not the elimination of risk. In fact, the greatest risk is taking no risks." and a few pages earlier, it reads "if you're willing to risk everything, then there is nothing that God can't do in and through you."

talk about conviction.
i'm struggling in my life now trying to figure out what "living radically" means for me.
i feel like if i'm wrestling with that picture now as a single, unattached woman of God, how much worse will it be when i'm in a relationship? married? higher in the job ranking? making more money? living in a house?

i truly want to just be obedient in all i do.

i'm one to dream big when it comes to my "bucket list"
but when it comes to being a disciple and not just a follower, that's a little crazy.

i'm one for the thrill of an adrenaline rush.
but i cower when it comes to share my faith.

i'm one to try new food.
but i'm not one to share the Bread of life.

taking risks and facing possible rejection is hard.
and pride is one of my biggest battles.
i want to be able to say "God, I will go ANYWHERE and do ANYTHING for you!"
i want to experience an adventure of truly obeying God in ANYTHING!
any circumstance.
any experience.
any locale.
as long as i am in the will of the Lord.

will you pray for me in this journey i'm on with God??
thanks :)

who are my neighbors - pt1

2011-11-30T05:56:00.001-06:00

inspiration: Scott Williams' sermon last weekend

ChurchDiversity.com

I only have a few minutes before work this morning, but I wanted to share this video...

Scott Williams really challenged us with a powerful message regarding church diversity.
11AM on Sunday morning still remains one of the most segregated hours - racially and spiritually.

We're called as the body of Christ to not be a body of white believers, black believers, Baptist believers, Methodist believers. We're called to be the body of Christ! United and living the true Gospel.

We're called to love the Lord, first and foremost in our lives, but also to love our neighbor as ourselves.

And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27)

...so who are my neighbors? Who are those around me that I need to love as myself? Been challenged by that lately....

(to be continued...)

50 things I'm thankful for - the 2011 list

2011-11-24T06:09:00.001-06:00

inspiration: it's Thanksgiving, y'all!

Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior
my family
my friends
my health
my amazing small group in SC
my amazing small group from TN
the men and women who serve our country everyday
theWell
Grace Community Church
Seacoast Church
to be employed by Hawkes
clean water
the ability to laugh at myself - it makes "awkward" moments so much more enjoyable
the mission trips i've taken this year
the leadership opportunities i have at theWell
my previous sponsor children getting adopted (Maynerd and John Mark)
my current sponsor children (maria and punyakorn)
to be going home in a few weeks
indoor plumbing
a family that does not like black friday shopping
charleston food
sweet tea
my ability with words
jack's mannequin/something corporate/andrew mcmahon's music in general
running and the opportunities i've had to run races with friends
a fuel efficient car
to be moving to Mt P in a few weeks
anything made with peanut butter and chocolate
the big bang theory
tetris
music
the abundance of penguin stuff in the winter
a cell phone
money in my pocket (even though it's not a lot at times)
chili's baby back ribs (...barbecue sauce)
southwest flying direct from CHS to BNA
comfortable t-shirts
jeans that fit just right
crock pot
spiral notebooks & post-it notes
pandora for variety
spotify because it's amazing
smores
amazing weather in charleston
turkey and dressing!!
a queen size bed with a pillow top mattress :)
food in my cabinets
chick-fil-a
converse <3
to be surrounded by people who "get" me and my crazy sense of humor and adventure

"for God loves a cheerful giver"

2011-11-19T05:47:00.001-06:00

inspiration: theWell rising up to become generation of cheerful givers.

at theWell, the college/20s ministry at Seacoast Church, we have been studying through the book of Romans. we've been challenged by the messages from the pastors as they bring the word of God to show us that the lessons and principles of the Bible are still relevant for us today. sure, the book of Romans was written by Paul some 2000 years ago, but Scripture is still relevant today.

we've been in a series called Radical for several weeks now. the name was inspired by David Platt's book Radical and it challenges us to turn away from our "American Dreams" in order to serve God in a radical way, whether it's by selling our possessions or simply reaching out to those that need it most. each week, we've had radical challenges, from tipping generously (50-100%) when we dine out (even if our service was terrible), to random acts of kindness, to giving out Bibles, etc.

But this week, we had an amazing opportunity to show the love of Christ in a powerful and amazing way...

TheWell staff received this e-mail early this week

We have a Sailor names Jkelsey that is fresh out of Corpsman School who reported to Naval health Clinic Charleston today – this is her first duty station, and she is a 20 year old E-1. She is in need of the community’s support. With Veteran’s Day tomorrow, what better time to ask for that support?

Jkelsey’s mother died a few days ago – while giving birth. With no other relatives, she has stepped up and has taken custody of the infant (her sister.) As a 20 year old E-1 who was planning on living in the dorms, she is now faced not only with raising her sister as her own, but moving into a house or apartment (because children are not allowed in the dorms).

She has no furniture, no infant supplies…she basically has the clothes that she had at Corpsman School. We want to rally around Jkelsey. We all have connections within the community…friends…business owners…folks who can help her with this unexpected burden.

If any of you can help tell Jkelsey’s story in the days to come…it would be much appreciated. Everyone here at Naval Health Clinic Charleston is pitching in to donate what we can, but we are a small Command. With the Community’s help – we can do a great thing in the life of Jkelsey and her infant sister.

and we, as theWell ministry and as the family of God, was challenged to bring what we could and to donate what we could in order to benefit JKelsey.

On Thursday night at theWell service, we were challenged to donate radically - to donate what we could and to step up and help provide for JKelsey and her sister.

We raised $883 on Thursday for JKelsey and a stroller and diapers were also donated!

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

We were given a challenge and God radically showed up. I am reminded and so encouraged by the rising up of a generation to serve and honor a God who can do all things! we can only imagine the conflicts that are arising in JKelsey's life, losing a mother and gaining a sister to care for alone, but I know that in this small way and in the act of sacrifice from us, JKelsey will see the true body of Christ and she will know that she is loved and that God will provide for her!

If you would like more information or would like to donate to JKelsey, e-mail me at ashleeeidson@gmail.com or comment on the blog and I can give you more information about where/how to donate!

"fully convinced that God is able to do what he promises"

2011-11-17T20:27:00.001-06:00

inspiration: Romans 4:20-21

a bittersweet moment for us as Pastor Chris Russo transitions out of the college/20s ministry into ministry with young married couples. but we know God is going to do amazing things through him.

trust.
that was our topic tonight at theWell - and Chris brought the heat.
when i think of "trust" and what it means to me, i have a fairly "good" picture of it.
i generally think about my parents and friends and God.
but for some, "trust" is a hard thing to think about, because in many cases, it's been broken.

abusive relationships.
unfaithful spouses.
disloyal friends.

what can we truly put our trust in these days? with greed, abuse, pride, and other scandals plaguing our news, sometimes it's hard to see the good in things. and it's hard to trust that God has a plan for all of this.

but i have hope in a God who is mighty and powerful and trustworthy!

we read through Romans 4:19-25 tonight

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

This passage refers to Abraham, who God promised to be the father of many nations. He made a promise that he and his wife Sarah would bear a son ... only problem is, he was almost 100 and she was like 90. uhh....based on our knowledge of biology, that's not something that just happens.

but in this, i'm reminded of Mark 10:27

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."

this gives me hope about everything!
and i love verse 21 in this passage: Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. but that wasn't just a one-time-thing for Abraham: He promises the same for us. When we put our faith in Him, we can rest assured that He is going to use us for His will.

i'm not saying i have things figured out and that i trust God all the time.
in fact, i just texted a friend of mine saying how much i stress about work.
i posted on Facebook about how i need to just set up healthy boundaries between my work responsibilities and my personal life.
i often worry about relationships. i battle the "gift" of singleness - not because i don't enjoy independence and focusing on my relationship with God, but if i'm honest, i worry that i'll end up alone and won't have someone to share life's greatest moments with.

i still try and withhold trust from God.
but Chris made excellent points about trust.

we must be honest about our trust issues (confessing and being transparent and praying for one another), looking at God's track record (remembering times when He has been faithful) and celebrating the wins (praising God for the moments when He comes through for us).

i know that He has a plan for me.
one of my biggest wins has by far been my move to Charleston.
it was also one of those times when i fully trusted Him to pick up and move; and He has provided immeasurably more for me than i would've ever thought possible. i've made amazing friends here and made amazing covenant relationships with girls (and guys too) who are constantly pushing me and holding me accountable in my walk with God.

and in my moments of worry and stress and loneliness and frustration, i'm reminded that i serve a God who can do all things.

but if God can bring a child to a century-old Abraham and raise Christ from the dead, who am i to think that He won't provide for me? who am i to distrust Him?

while i may not have it figured out, i am fully convinced that God is able to do what He promises.
and i know He will always come through for me, even when it's not in ways i expect.

hoping against hope

2011-11-10T21:03:00.001-06:00

inspiration: the sermon at theWell - Romans 4:13-18

first off, i will say that i have been slacking seriously on making time to blog and to spend time in the Word; excuses are excuses, but i will say that tonight's message was pretty powerful.

secondly, while the title of this post may seem a bit contradictory or confusing, don't worry...it's not...
we're trucking right along in our Romans study; we've been in this for 6 months now and we've gone through almost 4 chapters - so at this rate, we'll be done in 2013. maybe :P

but tonight's passage was Romans 4:13-18:

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."

but the emphasis was on 17-18 and how God gives life to the dead. He calls things into existence that do not exist. and because of this, we have hope!!

let me say this again: Because God is able to give life to the dead and because He can call things into existence that do not exist, we have hope!

several things were discussed tonight, but the thing that hit home for me was the second part of 17 - the fact that God calls into existence things that do not exist; we don't hold that power, and i'll get to my thoughts on that later.

but the first part of the verse emphasizes that God brings life to the dead. i've experienced that in many areas of my life; emotionally, spiritually, mentally. sometimes the world "kills" the fruit of the Spirit in my life and it tries to (and sometimes for a season, it will even victor) overshadow God in my life. i begin to put stock in the things of this world rather than focusing on heavenly things (Colossians 3:2).

i think Ernest made a great point when he said that things other than God cannot bring life; we can try and fill our lives with money, things, people, sports...they may even bring us happiness, but they'll never bring us lasting joy like God can (and does!)

tying into the second part of the verse about calling things into existence, we can try and manufacture happiness. we can try and "play God" in the sense of trying to determine our own destinies and write our own futures. we can spend time chasing money, fame, attention, relationships. but ultimately, it's in God's hands - and quite frankly, i've seen the kinds of stories that i write and i'm glad it's in God's hands!

"We can either manufacture things...or we can wait on God's best for us." -Ernest

this hit realllllly close to home for me.

over this weekend, i went to Seattle and i was reading Desiring God on the plane ride (because i'm a nerd like that). John Piper quoted a C.S. Lewis sermon at one point:

We are half-hearted creatures,
fooling about with drink and sex and
ambition when infinite joy is offered us,
like an ignorant child who wants to go on
making mud pies in a slum because he
cannot imagine what is meant by the offer
of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily
pleased. (The Weight of Glory)

...i know that for me, sometimes i want to settle for something that I can be in control of.

i often don't want to wait for God to come through, because frankly, that means i'm not in control.

but because of verse 18, i have hope knowing that God's best is worth waiting for.
i've expressed many times over the last few months my desire to wait for God's best in my life, especially regarding relationships.

http://faithoverflow.blogspot.com/2011/01/waiting-for-gods-best.html

and tonight's message just really reassured me of the fact that, despite the world telling me "i need a man", that i'm doing the right and honorable thing by waiting for God's best for me. i'm hoping (in a godly way) against hope (the earthly kind) in order to gain a reward that will far outweigh any sort of half-baked human effort.

God is just, omnipotent, sovereign, and all-powerful.

everything He does is for the best and for His glory.

and my hope is completely in that!

seattle: day two

2011-11-06T20:14:00.002-06:00

inspiration: seattle - day two.

Daylight Savings Ending - 1; Nikki - 0
As if jet lag and recovering from the time zone difference wasn't enough, daylight savings had to end and make it an hour early. while i'm not complaining about the extra hour of sleep (it was much needed and appreciated), it was quite disheartening to wake up at 5AM Pacific Time...what in the world is going to be open at 5AM ?! :P
but i started the morning off walking to Volunteer Park, about a mile from where i'm staying. there were a lot of cute little houses along the way!
got to Volunteer park and walked around; the Seattle Asian Art Museum was there (didn't visit it, but took a picture of it) - i took a few pictures.
i had breakfast this morning at the B&B - it was amaaaazing! fresh fruit and then biscuit and fried egg with gravy with sausage and asparagus. delicious!!

walked down to Pike Place Market this morning - stopped at Seattle's Best Coffee and got a Caramel Mocha (coffee is not my thing at all!) =P
walked around the Market - the thing is hugeee! There are so many floors and buildings - I got a caricature drawing done :) The man was really sweet. He told me I had beautiful eyes and that he liked my "beauty marks" (which i refer to as freckles, i guess. they're possibly moles. lol. i don't really know) :P
i walked back to Westlake Mall to take the monorail to the Space Needle - not sure why, but when i'm in new places, i love taking public transit...haha...
Went to the Space Needle! Took several pictures.

(their complimentary picture - they take your picture in front of a green screen essentially and you pick your own background)

Walked from the Space Needle to Kerry Park; up a monstrous beast of a hill, but it was totally worth it! Kerry Park isn't really a park, it's literally just a wall with a railing with some benches and a random sculpture, but it has an amaaaaaaaaazing view of downtown Seattle! it's absolutely gorgeous! made trekking up Queen Anne Hill completely and utterly worth it!

walked back to the space needle and took the monorail back to westlake and then walked home.
needless to say, my little asian legs are pooooooped!
once i got back, i uploaded pictures, charged my phone, and napped.
then i got up and went to Than Brothers to get Pho ("fuh") - it's basically this broth, soup with noodles and basil and beef or chicken (i got chicken). it was pretty good! i got a small, but the bowl was actually ginormous!! i only ate like half of it. and they gave you a cream puff. omg, it was amazing!
it's only like 6 o'clock here, but i am for real tired! i did pretty much everything i wanted to do while i was here in one day, so i'm excited to get to do even more tomorrow! i'll probably take a ferry/cruise around and go out on the water. not sure what else i'll do though :)

More Pictures!!