"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

eternal truth

The scriptures are shallow enough for the babe to drink from without drowning, and deep enough for the greatest theologian to swim in without ever touching the bottom.

-St. Jerome

God's plan unfolds

May vineyards flow from all the good the Lord has brought to me,

And richest life extend throughout the land for all to see

That not of my good will or sense the plan unfolds this way,

But in the gracious mind of God tomorrow forms today.

Copyright 2000, Kevin Hartnett

Christmas Joy

Royal King of Kings, Ancient of Days

Oh sing out now with song of praise.

Born in a manger, a baby lay

It was the first, best Christmas day.

Noel, Noel, sing all the earth

Sing of the Savior's lowly birth.

Our voices gifts to use for Him

No time to waste; He will return.

(By Zella May Robinson, my great-grandmother.)

This was a lady who passed down a faithful legacy to succeding generations. When my mother was just a young girl, Zella May prayed for her and for the children whe would have one day. She prayed for me, although I never knew her.

I want to know Christ

All I once held dear built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love you, Lord

Now my heart's desire is to know You more
To be found in You, and known as yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love you, Lord

Oh to know the power of your risen life
And to know You in your suffering
To become like You in your death my Lord
So with You to live
And never die

Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you
There is no greater thing
You're my all, you're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love you, Lord

(by Graham Kendrick)

This song is especially meaningful to me because the lyrics are a paraphrase of a passage in Philippians, written by the Apostle Paul. Recently I have studied this book in depth, and it is so rich in thought-provoking wisdom and truth.

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

(Philippians 3:7-11).

Am I willing to surrender everything and suffer for the sake of Christ? Do I consider earthly things as "rubbish" compared to the glory of Christ? Do I strive for righteousness of my own, apart from the grace of God? Or do desire with all my being to know Christ? Lord, may this latter be so!

You were faithful

When I enter Heaven's glory
And I see my Savior's face,
I will offer Him ten thousand years of praise.
Then I'll find that special one
In whose life I saw God's Son,
And through tears of joy with trembling lips
These words I'll say:

I saw Jesus in you,
I saw Jesus in you.
I could hear His voice in the words you said
I saw Jesus in you.
In your eyes I saw His care,
I could see His love was there.
You were faithful,
And I saw Jesus in you.

When I stand before my Father
To receive my life's reward,
And my soul is bathed in God's eternal day,
When this race on earth is run,
And God sees the works I've done,
More than any thing I long to hear my Father say:

I saw Jesus in you,
I saw Jesus in you.
I could hear His voice in the words you said
I saw Jesus in you.
In your eyes I saw His care,
I could see His love was there.
You were faithful,
And I saw Jesus in you.

(written by Ron Hamilton)

Modesty Survey!

Check this out!

I plan to participate in this survey. Will you join me?

winter wonder

"To a Snowflake"

by Francis Thompson

What heart could have thought you?--
Past our devisal
(O filigree petal!)
Fashioned so purely,
Fragilely, surely,
From what Paradisal
Imagineless metal,
Too costly for cost?
Who hammered you, wrought you,
From argentine vapour?--
"God was my shaper.
Passing surmisal,
He hammered, he wrought me,
From curled silver vapour,
To lust of His mind:--
Thou couldst not have thought me!
So purely, so palely,
Tinily, surely,
Mightily, frailly,
Insculped and embossed,
With His hammer of wind,
And His graver of frost."

(Reprinted from An Anthology of Modern Verse, Ed. A. Methuen. London: Methuen & Co., 1921.)

path of purity

"When you chose to follow the way of purity, did you expect it to be easy? When you decided to wait for the best, did you think that waiting would be fun? Did you think that your faith would not be tested? When you decided to take the narrow path, did no one warn you that difficulties, hardship, and tears would be a part of the journey, and that you would often face rejection from others and be force to walk alone? My daughter, that which you wait for the longest you treasure the most, and through much struggle the prize is won."

(excerpted from Before You Meet Prince Charming, by Sarah Mally.)

Bright Lights

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of speaking at a Bright Lights retreat in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Bright Lights is a ministry dedicated to training young ladies to be strong for the Lord in their youth. The leader of this particular group is Erin Greer, a good of my family's.

This retreat's theme was A Basket of Flowers, by Christoph Von Schmid. The topic of my session for 8-11 year-old girls was hospitality. I enjoyed preparing this talk so much because I got to use a lot of personal stories and ideas. It was also challenging to me, as I studied hospitality in depth. I also wrote a skit for the session, and was so grateful to have three other ladies help me perform it.

speaking during my session

"Becca" and "Lisa"

(ie., Megan and Micah Noel)

l-r: Tiffany, Mrs. Carson, Megan, and me

l-r: Tiffany, Cassie, (my friend who came with us to the retreat,) and Megan

lunch

At the retreat, I was thrilled to get a copy of Sarah Mally's new book, Before You Meet Prince Charming. This is a book on purity that I would highly, highly recommend for all young ladies.

my weekend

Hi friends!
I was out of town last Friday through Monday, in case you missed me. :) I'm sure you all would like to hear about my weekend, especially when I say that I saw the President! Yes, its true! Here's the whole story:

Friday, my mother, my sister, and I went to Topeka to work on Jim Ryun's campaign. A rally was planned for Sunday, to which President Bush was coming to endorse Jim Ryun. (For those who don't know, Jim Ryun is our U.S. Representative.) Friday night we painted signs for the rally, and on Saturday we campaigned door-to-door in Topeka and Manhattan. That night we also did campaigning via phone. Sunday morning we had group devotions, and then rushed out to place literature on cars at various churches. At 10:45 we had a tour of the expo center before the Secret Service did their security sweep. By 2:00, we were back at the expo center, through security, and at our posts. Our job was to monitor the media and press, and make sure they were in their assigned area when the President arrived. Over the next four hours, about 9000 people flooded into the expo center. Jim Ryun, Phil Kline, Tom Barnett, and the other Republican candidates were on stage. At about 6:10, the President entered, to the sound of loud cheers and a standing ovation. As he spoke, the audience applauded and voiced their approval at almost the end of every sentence. President Bush spoke of his respect and admiration for Congressman Jim Ryun, and how he desired to see him continue in office. When he had concluded his speech, the President greeted some of the crowd personally. Then he returned backstage as the whole assembly wildly applauded. The crowd gradually dispersed, and we left about 8:30, exhausted, but exuberant. The next morning we campaigned door-to door again in Manhattan. Once we got back to Topeka, at about 5:30 that night, we left for home. It took me a couple days to get rested up again, but now I'm back to my usual self!

Personally, it was a beneficial experience for me. At first I was nervous at the thought of calling and knocking on the doors of complete strangers. I soon realized, however, that it was not a big deal at all. In fact, I kind of liked it, and I'd like to do it again. Imagine that. :)

Miscellaneous things I learned:
-contrary to what the media says, lots of people greatly appreciate President Bush
-having a position at a political rally has the tendency to go to one's head
-when bored, one can disguise oneself quite well using only tape and a Sharpie (see pictures on Bryant's blog)
-standing for seven hours on a concrete floor makes one's back and feet ache
-it is possible to gain massive amounts of muscle in on one's legs in one day just by walking

Be sure to check Bryant's blog for more pictures: http://www.whomihavenotseen.blogspot.com/

Jim and Ann Ryun

phone banking

Bryant and I at a restaurant after the rally

Live for Jesus

In a world of darkness
Who will shine God's light?
Who will live for Jesus,
And follow what is right?
Who will pay the price,
And follow in God's way?
Who will God find faithful
On the judgement day?

Lord, I will shine Your light,
With joy and a smile that's bright!
I will seek you all my days;
Lord I want to learn Your ways.
In this world of night
Lord, I will shine Your light.

Who will be a Rebekah
Quenching others' thirst?
Who will be a Mary
Putting Jesus first?
Who will be a Ruth
With virtue of great price?
Who will be an Esther
Laying down her life.

Lord, I will shine Your light
With joy and a smile that's bright
I will seek you all my days
Lord I want to learn Your ways
In this world of night
Lord I will shine Your light

(Who Will Shine God's Light, a song by Sarah and Grace Mally)

Modesty of heart

"No heathen god or goddess has ever had more zealous devotees than fashion, or more absurd and humiliating rituals, or more mortifying and cruel penances. Her laws, like those of the Medes and Persians, must be implicitly obeyed. But, unlike them, they change as certainly as the moon. They are rarely founded in reason, usually violate common sense and decency and uniformly common comfort" (from The Royal Path of Life).

Modesty, on the other hand, is unfading and timeless. Although it may not be the latest "style", it is feminine and attractive. True beauty does not start with external appearance, however; it begins in the heart. A life that is wholely submitted to Christ will radiate beauty. In this way, modesty works from the inside out.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful" (I Peter 3:3-5).