"It is Good"

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities

—His eternal power and divine nature—

have been clearly seen,

being understood from what has been made,

so that men are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

Of Utmost Importance

My beauty does not come from my physical appearance, such as a clear complexion, and a body that is the perfect weight and proportion. Instead, I want my beauty to come from my inner self, the unfaing beauty of gentle confidence and a heart that is fixed on my Lord Jesus Christ, which is of utmost importance and eternal significance in the eyes of God.

My paraphrase of I Peter 3:3-5

Surpassing Greatness

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.

Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! (Philippians 3:7-4:1).

This is the passage I am working on memorizing right now. Philippians is my favorite book of the Bible. I find it to be rich and applicable to my life.

Do you know Him? Have you seen Him?

If you are a beliver, this is your story; the story of how great Christ's love is for you. I hope that you will live the story as you read it. Picture it all in your mind, and let Christ speak to you.

Can you see the darkness of your sin as it really is, in all its rebellion, deception, and transgression against your Creator? Can you feel your arms weighted down with this load of grief that you cannot bear? Can you see Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, with the blood trickling from the places where the nails have pierced His hands and His feet? Can you see yourself slowly approaching the cross, wondering if He will turn you away? Listen to Him say, “Cast your burden at My feet, daughter; it is too heavy for you to carry.” Can you see yourself drop it at His feet, and fall to your knees, weeping? As you hesitatingly look up, your eyes meet His. You see the anguish of spirit and body expressed in His eyes. Suddenly you realize that this Man, the Son of God, is suffering for you. He willingly bore the punishment that you deserved. Hope, and grief, at the same time flood your soul. You notice the tears that overflow from His eyes as well. You hear Him struggle to draw a breath, and then He cries out, “It is finished!” You know that the atonement for your sin is fully paid. Yet you weep, because He has died. You wonder if there actually is hope. How can you live without Him?












Three days later, you come again to the garden where they have buried Him. You have been there many times before, sorrowfully wondering what you should do now. Then, from a little ways off, you see a man walking toward you. He looks familiar. As you gaze at him, he looks straight into your eyes. It is Jesus. You run to Him, and He catches you in a warm embrace. “Jesus, You are alive!” you exclaim. He smiles and says, “Nothing could keep me in the grave.” He explains to you that everything happened according to the Father’s intention. He suffered, died, and rose again, just as planned. “I do only the will of the Father,” He says. Then, He assures you that His sacrifice has paid for your transgression—His blood has covered you and washed you clean. “Sometimes you may doubt,” He says, “but do not fear. My promises are faithful and My word is true.” Again, He looks into your eyes. “My daughter, do you believe this?” He asks. “Yes, Jesus, I do,” you reply. “Remember also,” He says, “that the same power that raised Me from the dead, now lives in you, through My Spirit.”


















Now, though you do not see Him in person, you know that what He has promised is true. You have no need to be afraid, or to doubt your salvaion, because you know that nothing can take you out of His hand. “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).


















picture source

God's Will

The Giver

by George MacDonald

To give a thing and take again
Is counted meanness among men;
To take away what once is given
Cannot then be the way of heaven!

But human hearts are crumbly stuff,
And never, never love enough,
Therefore God takes and, with a smile,
Puts our best things away a while.

Thereon some weep, some rave, some scorn,
Some wish they never had been born;
Some humble grow at last and still,
And then God gives them what they will.

text found here

Worship

I love the house where You live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells. Ps 26:8

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4

Who will not fear You, O Lord, and bring glory to your Name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for your righteous acts have been revealed. (Revelation 15:4)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (John 4:23)

Oh Lord, give me the heart of a worshipper.

Grace

This is my family's Yorkshire Terrier. Her name is Gracelyn Belle, and she is two years old. We call her "Grace" for short.

As you can tell, she loves to snuggle, and napping is one of her favorite pastimes. :)

Fully Female

Feminine

Equal in worth, but different in function

Maternal

Anchor

Life-giver

Enricher

From Above Rubies magazine