Friday, December 30, 2011
There is an Answer- Pass it on
First off, shout out to my boy L Smith...follow this link and listen to a heart for Christ sing, He's awesome!
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2295846850246&id=1671353956¬if_t=feed_comment#!/photo.php?v=10150550452279252
This morning I was told the answer to getting an answer.
We all know God answers every prayer...but do we let Him?
For real think...How often do you pray?
Now think.. How long do you pray?
Okay.. Now when do you pray?
Now let's be honest. A lot of the time, we pray only to relieve our conscious.
I know I am guilty of that.
How often do we pray just to get His attention..just to talk with Him..to want a deeper relationship with Him?
You see, the thing is, God is already committed to our needs, He will provide, He wants us to focus just simply on wanting Him. We should be way more committed to Him, who He is; not just His blessings and what He does.
I know that ANY girl LOVES to hear a guy they like, are with, married..whatever, say, "I want to know you more..or..I want to know everything about you..I want to be your best friend."
The feeling we girls get when we hear that is..definitely.. on the butterfly level.
So how can we have an intimate relationship with Jesus if we never say that to Him?
How do you think it feels to only get attention from someone when they want something?
I know we all have felt that at some point in our lives and it's not the best feeling in the world..
God saved us because he loves us. He made us for fellowship with Him.
So don't ever think He has abandoned you when your prayer is unanswered.
In Matthew 6 & 7 He assures us that He desires to answer our prayers..our wants and needs.
He also tells us, you cannot reject the Son of God and expect to be heard.
Bingo.
That's the key to an answer prayer.
We have to PERSEVERE- to continue firmly on course in spite of the circumstances.
Don't give up, Keep asking.
There is something we have to remember, and it is that prayer isn't just asking and then waiting. There is activity involved.
In Matthew chapter 7 it says, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
See that? Not only are we supposed to keep asking, but to keep seeking, and to keep knocking. Get up and follow your heart.
If you are praying for a job, go out and look for one..He will show you the right one to take. If it is patience you are asking for..seek to be patient in all circumstances, He will give you the strength to be more and more.
There is more to it that activity too. Sometimes we have to make changes in order to receive His answer.
God has the right to hold anything back from us until we are ready.
Ask Him what is withholding you from getting your prayer answered.
We have the right to ask but we have to be willing to make changes if He reveals them to us. There is a reason for Him withholding.
Something is not right and you have to give Him time to arrange the circumstances to make it perfect for you.
Don't ever let yourself give up and say you can't wait any longer. Our choices are the wrong choices.
He knows us so perfectly, so wait for His perfect plan.
Don't lose heart, He wants us to keep on because while we are seeking and knocking, He is working.
How comforting is that?! Our God is 100% for us and always working for our best!
No matter how ofter we screw His plan up, He never gives up on us.
Therefore we must keep abiding. Go to Him Passionately.
God says yes..wait..and I have something better. Keep on.
Sometimes were not asking for the wrong thing, were asking for the right thing, just on our schedules.
When we decide to stop waiting for Him we turn our outcomes into-"Well, it just wasn't meant to be.." or maybe it just wasn't the right timing!
Be patient with Him, just like He is with us:)
So, when we ask, "Why isn't God answering my prayer?" The first place we should look is inside ourselves. Draw near to Him.
The more you get to know Him, the less you ask for, and the more He'll give you. Persevere is not the only key..confidence is one too.
Confidence that HE WILL answer your prayer and it'll be for your best.
The more confidence we have, the more we will pray.
Once again, in Matthew chapter 7 He assures us what he will give us is good.
He talks about if parents give their children what they ask for, do you not think GOD the FATHER will give good to His children when they ask??
Its actually kinda humorous the way He puts it-
"You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."
He couldn't have made it more clear...
You will never equal what God has in store for you.
The times when Jesus is silent in our lives are always good and purposeful, have faith, have CONFIDENCE.
It doesn't last forever and sometimes we miss His best blessings by moving on.
Before you make a decision listen to what He is telling you.
I specifically heard Him today say, "Lexi, Do you want this or do you want my best?"
I dropped it and said your best God! haha please!
Keep praying, keep waiting, and watch what He does:)
I broke it down as: listen, grasp, apply, trust, and watch.
Listen to see if anything is in His way of answering our prayer. Grasp what it is and Apply it by making changes. Trust that you are better off because you are about to Watch the reward for your obedience happen:)
And once again we go back to that M6:33:)
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
Father,
I truly just want to get to know you tonight. Don't give my anything I ask for today..just please draw near to me. You know me so perfectly, I want to know you in every way. You are a loving, perfect, heavenly father who gives so much to His imperfect, sinful, children. Please consume me from the inside out allow me to rest in your arms forever. I love you with all of my heart..
Your daughter,
Lexi
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This morning I was told the answer to getting an answer.
We all know God answers every prayer...but do we let Him?
For real think...How often do you pray?
Now think.. How long do you pray?
Okay.. Now when do you pray?
Now let's be honest. A lot of the time, we pray only to relieve our conscious.
I know I am guilty of that.
How often do we pray just to get His attention..just to talk with Him..to want a deeper relationship with Him?
You see, the thing is, God is already committed to our needs, He will provide, He wants us to focus just simply on wanting Him. We should be way more committed to Him, who He is; not just His blessings and what He does.
I know that ANY girl LOVES to hear a guy they like, are with, married..whatever, say, "I want to know you more..or..I want to know everything about you..I want to be your best friend."
The feeling we girls get when we hear that is..definitely.. on the butterfly level.
So how can we have an intimate relationship with Jesus if we never say that to Him?
How do you think it feels to only get attention from someone when they want something?
I know we all have felt that at some point in our lives and it's not the best feeling in the world..
God saved us because he loves us. He made us for fellowship with Him.
So don't ever think He has abandoned you when your prayer is unanswered.
In Matthew 6 & 7 He assures us that He desires to answer our prayers..our wants and needs.
He also tells us, you cannot reject the Son of God and expect to be heard.
Bingo.
That's the key to an answer prayer.
We have to PERSEVERE- to continue firmly on course in spite of the circumstances.
Don't give up, Keep asking.
There is something we have to remember, and it is that prayer isn't just asking and then waiting. There is activity involved.
In Matthew chapter 7 it says, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
See that? Not only are we supposed to keep asking, but to keep seeking, and to keep knocking. Get up and follow your heart.
If you are praying for a job, go out and look for one..He will show you the right one to take. If it is patience you are asking for..seek to be patient in all circumstances, He will give you the strength to be more and more.
There is more to it that activity too. Sometimes we have to make changes in order to receive His answer.
God has the right to hold anything back from us until we are ready.
Ask Him what is withholding you from getting your prayer answered.
We have the right to ask but we have to be willing to make changes if He reveals them to us. There is a reason for Him withholding.
Something is not right and you have to give Him time to arrange the circumstances to make it perfect for you.
Don't ever let yourself give up and say you can't wait any longer. Our choices are the wrong choices.
He knows us so perfectly, so wait for His perfect plan.
Don't lose heart, He wants us to keep on because while we are seeking and knocking, He is working.
How comforting is that?! Our God is 100% for us and always working for our best!
No matter how ofter we screw His plan up, He never gives up on us.
Therefore we must keep abiding. Go to Him Passionately.
God says yes..wait..and I have something better. Keep on.
Sometimes were not asking for the wrong thing, were asking for the right thing, just on our schedules.
When we decide to stop waiting for Him we turn our outcomes into-"Well, it just wasn't meant to be.." or maybe it just wasn't the right timing!
Be patient with Him, just like He is with us:)
So, when we ask, "Why isn't God answering my prayer?" The first place we should look is inside ourselves. Draw near to Him.
The more you get to know Him, the less you ask for, and the more He'll give you. Persevere is not the only key..confidence is one too.
Confidence that HE WILL answer your prayer and it'll be for your best.
The more confidence we have, the more we will pray.
Once again, in Matthew chapter 7 He assures us what he will give us is good.
He talks about if parents give their children what they ask for, do you not think GOD the FATHER will give good to His children when they ask??
Its actually kinda humorous the way He puts it-
"You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."
He couldn't have made it more clear...
You will never equal what God has in store for you.
The times when Jesus is silent in our lives are always good and purposeful, have faith, have CONFIDENCE.
It doesn't last forever and sometimes we miss His best blessings by moving on.
Before you make a decision listen to what He is telling you.
I specifically heard Him today say, "Lexi, Do you want this or do you want my best?"
I dropped it and said your best God! haha please!
Keep praying, keep waiting, and watch what He does:)
I broke it down as: listen, grasp, apply, trust, and watch.
Listen to see if anything is in His way of answering our prayer. Grasp what it is and Apply it by making changes. Trust that you are better off because you are about to Watch the reward for your obedience happen:)
And once again we go back to that M6:33:)
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
Father,
I truly just want to get to know you tonight. Don't give my anything I ask for today..just please draw near to me. You know me so perfectly, I want to know you in every way. You are a loving, perfect, heavenly father who gives so much to His imperfect, sinful, children. Please consume me from the inside out allow me to rest in your arms forever. I love you with all of my heart..
Your daughter,
Lexi
Not Ashamed
Okay, so the last time I was with this girl, we got matching tattoos, little Jesus fish on our ankles. This time, yep, we got matching cheetah print pajams (my word for pajamas..abreviation prob..). My mom was probably a little more okay with this purchase than the last..Anyways, Christmas break got ten times better when she came to visit yesterday, love her and so thankful for her! She has a heart that is so beautiful and wrapped up in Christ. I couldn't be more blessed to have her in my life. We had a grand ole time: El Pas0->TJ Max->Sonic blasts->renting lifetime movies->dance party->cake baking->skype dates and HeyTell pranking->Digging into God's word->Starbucks= all in our PJ's. Sometimes, ya just gotta take it back to the middle school days and act your shoe size, it's good for the soul.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
On Duty
Well yesterday I spent the evening going to watch Sherlock Holmes and spent some quality time at the Miller house with Patrick. Somewhere within all that, we had good chats on always working for God. I was talking to Patrick about how I hope that I am well prepared to face an opportunity God has brought me to recently and even wondering myself if I was or not. Patrick talked with me for a while on how when God brings us to things, it is not always going to be easy. It is going to take work, but even more, it is going to take trust.
Work.
Got me thinking..of course.
In 1 Corinthians 3:9 it says we are God's fellow workers.
Therefore, I am always on the job.
I was reading a magazine after I got home from Patrick's last night and this paragraph about a lady's new job got me thinking even more:
"She is constantly waiting on a call from her boss.She makes sure that all her communication devices are powered up, activated, and just a hands reach away that she can be ready to receive instruction. While she does make some personal plans during work hours, she doesn't set them in stone. She is fully aware that her primary responsibility is to be ready to manage that which her boss assigns."
Wow, that is exactly how we should think of our job as a follower.
We should always be on call and available, no matter what we want or have planned already.
Don't get me wrong, partnering with Him doesn't mean having no plans and ambitions of your own. It means holding them loosely, always leaving room for "the word of the Lord" reshaping your purpose and aligning them with His own.
the funny part is though,
God doesn't need us to fulfill His purposes
but He still asks us; it is a privilege to work with Him.
Whether it is working with a special needs child, starting a Bible study, remaining single for a bit longer, or even, reaching out to those who hurt you, He's purposefully given you the honor of being the one He chose suited for a task that He has great plans for.
While the benefits may not be able to be seen now, they wait in the future for anyone who chooses to work for Him.
Therefore,
Have trust in Him that whatever it is He brings you to do, He will get you thought it. Not only that but you will get a bonus for it, and He promises us that:)
Also, trust in yourself because He trusts in you. He chose you to fulfill a plan of His, so obviously you are ready for whatever it entails. Just like Patrick told me, it is going to take more trust than it does work.
I love my boss, so I am going to be on call 24/7, willing, ready, and thankful.
Work.
Got me thinking..of course.
In 1 Corinthians 3:9 it says we are God's fellow workers.
Therefore, I am always on the job.
I was reading a magazine after I got home from Patrick's last night and this paragraph about a lady's new job got me thinking even more:
"She is constantly waiting on a call from her boss.She makes sure that all her communication devices are powered up, activated, and just a hands reach away that she can be ready to receive instruction. While she does make some personal plans during work hours, she doesn't set them in stone. She is fully aware that her primary responsibility is to be ready to manage that which her boss assigns."
Wow, that is exactly how we should think of our job as a follower.
We should always be on call and available, no matter what we want or have planned already.
Don't get me wrong, partnering with Him doesn't mean having no plans and ambitions of your own. It means holding them loosely, always leaving room for "the word of the Lord" reshaping your purpose and aligning them with His own.
the funny part is though,
God doesn't need us to fulfill His purposes
but He still asks us; it is a privilege to work with Him.
Whether it is working with a special needs child, starting a Bible study, remaining single for a bit longer, or even, reaching out to those who hurt you, He's purposefully given you the honor of being the one He chose suited for a task that He has great plans for.
While the benefits may not be able to be seen now, they wait in the future for anyone who chooses to work for Him.
Therefore,
Have trust in Him that whatever it is He brings you to do, He will get you thought it. Not only that but you will get a bonus for it, and He promises us that:)
Also, trust in yourself because He trusts in you. He chose you to fulfill a plan of His, so obviously you are ready for whatever it entails. Just like Patrick told me, it is going to take more trust than it does work.
I love my boss, so I am going to be on call 24/7, willing, ready, and thankful.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
I wanna stay here forever...
True statement:
It is a lot easier to fall in love, than to stay in love.
Once again, God answered one of my prayers. Shocker.
I always try to fall asleep talking to Him and last night I was asking Him to show me exactly how to love like Him. Well, He did just that. I got up this morning and decided to listen to a podcast by Andy Stanley. I got all my answers and continued to dig to find more.
Falling in love is so easy. We even fall in love with people we have never even met before.
There is over 1500 match making organizations out there. So simple to fall..but what about staying?
Sometimes I wonder, is it even possible to stay in love for a lifetime these days?
Is it even worth shooting for?
Now I'm not just talking about staying together..I'm talking about staying in love.
There isn't anyone who does not desire love. We all have that something in us that longs to feel that butterfly, cloud 9, I wanna stay here forever feeling. It is in our human nature.
Andy's message made me think..is it possible? yes.
Is it easy? No.
He put it in a way that clicked like crazy to me.
"Falling in love requires a pulse, staying in love requires a plan."
WOW. so true.
I have never thought about it like that. We put so much pressure on going with the flow and if it is love it'll happen...but a relationship takes work.
Staying in love takes work.
Jesus gave us a new command in John 13:3
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other."
You see, we automatically look at love as a noun.
Jesus takes it to a new level.
He commands us to make it into a verb.
Don't be content with just feeling something, because it won't last if you do.
The secret to staying in love is to make it a verb as much as it is a noun.
So we fall into something and we do something. got it.
I now know to fall in love with a new understanding of it. Jesus tells us to love one another; not like the love we see by our parents, in this culture, or like a past relationship, but just as He loved us.
Awesome. So how exactly do you do that, Jesus? You are so perfect in everything you do..
Lucky us, Paul broke the answer to that down for us in Philippians chapter 2.
Jesus made love a verb and Paul elaborates exactly on that.
verse 2: Do nothing of compete. We should never be in competition with someone else.
verse 3: Value others. consider others more important than yourself.
When you are around someone more important than yourself, your goal should be respect, not to be right.
When you see a famous person, there is a sense of awe, or maybe even a gasp. Imagine a relationship that chooses not to lose that sense of all- to act as if they are more important that you.
Let's be real. We love to be treated as the most important person around. We all have that crave.
But we must think of others as better than ourselves. Christ put us before Him.
verse 4: Paul says we must express interest in things that interest others.
Are you willing?
I know I think of times when I started liking someone and automatically their interests become mine. Funny how that works..but I never really remind myself to constantly consider doing that to others.
verse 5: Approach a relationship the way Jesus approaches one.
verse 6: Even though Jesus IS the most important- He never used that- He always used that for the benefit of others.
verse 7: He made Himself nothing. He emptied Himself.
Jesus made a decision to empty Himself.
Do you understand?
Paul is reminding us that Jesus could either get what he deserved or get what He wants.
He could either get glory, honor, and respect...or a relationship with you.
verse 8: HE HUMBLED HIMSELF.
He decided to place Himself under someone else..not 50-50 or equal. completely under.
How many times do you find Jesus serving??
ALWAYS.
He humbled Himself by being obedient to death. He is saying, "I died on a cross in an effort to make your deal, more important than mine.
He knew He couldn't have both, what he deserved and what he wanted..so He chose a relationship with us. He was nothing but SELF EMPTYING.
When we are arguing with people, you can be 100% right all the time, but that is trying to be right, not respectful. So you see, we can be sooooo right, but wrong at the same time. And by being wrong like that you push people away, whether you see it or not.
Jesus wants us to love the same way He loves us- which means the relationship becomes before the wants.
The greatest evangelism is through this kind of a relationship.
John 13:35 "Your love to one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
We all desire to be in love- As Christians we have been instructed how to do so.
We can demonstrate Christ dying on Calvary through the way we love..and by staying in love.
This isn't just for falling in love with your special someone either.
It is how we should love all people.
Just like He does.
Falling in love requires a pulse, staying in love requires a plan.
My Father,
Help me love others like you love me. You chose me, a sinner who is so unworthy of you, over the glory and honor you deserve more than anything. I will never be able to thank you enough. Your compassion goes beyond my comprehension Lord, but please continue to show me the depth of it. Teach me exactly how to love the guy you have set aside for me too. That way, when I do begin to fall in love, I will be able to stay in love with him because I have you as a role model. Thank you for your word and the way it guides us for our everyday lives. I am falling so in love with you more and more everyday. I want a heart like yours. I love you with every part of me. Thank you for putting me before you.
Your daughter,
Lexi
It is a lot easier to fall in love, than to stay in love.
Once again, God answered one of my prayers. Shocker.
I always try to fall asleep talking to Him and last night I was asking Him to show me exactly how to love like Him. Well, He did just that. I got up this morning and decided to listen to a podcast by Andy Stanley. I got all my answers and continued to dig to find more.
Falling in love is so easy. We even fall in love with people we have never even met before.
There is over 1500 match making organizations out there. So simple to fall..but what about staying?
Sometimes I wonder, is it even possible to stay in love for a lifetime these days?
Is it even worth shooting for?
Now I'm not just talking about staying together..I'm talking about staying in love.
There isn't anyone who does not desire love. We all have that something in us that longs to feel that butterfly, cloud 9, I wanna stay here forever feeling. It is in our human nature.
Andy's message made me think..is it possible? yes.
Is it easy? No.
He put it in a way that clicked like crazy to me.
"Falling in love requires a pulse, staying in love requires a plan."
WOW. so true.
I have never thought about it like that. We put so much pressure on going with the flow and if it is love it'll happen...but a relationship takes work.
Staying in love takes work.
Jesus gave us a new command in John 13:3
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other."
You see, we automatically look at love as a noun.
Jesus takes it to a new level.
He commands us to make it into a verb.
Don't be content with just feeling something, because it won't last if you do.
The secret to staying in love is to make it a verb as much as it is a noun.
So we fall into something and we do something. got it.
I now know to fall in love with a new understanding of it. Jesus tells us to love one another; not like the love we see by our parents, in this culture, or like a past relationship, but just as He loved us.
Awesome. So how exactly do you do that, Jesus? You are so perfect in everything you do..
Lucky us, Paul broke the answer to that down for us in Philippians chapter 2.
Jesus made love a verb and Paul elaborates exactly on that.
verse 2: Do nothing of compete. We should never be in competition with someone else.
verse 3: Value others. consider others more important than yourself.
When you are around someone more important than yourself, your goal should be respect, not to be right.
When you see a famous person, there is a sense of awe, or maybe even a gasp. Imagine a relationship that chooses not to lose that sense of all- to act as if they are more important that you.
Let's be real. We love to be treated as the most important person around. We all have that crave.
But we must think of others as better than ourselves. Christ put us before Him.
verse 4: Paul says we must express interest in things that interest others.
Are you willing?
I know I think of times when I started liking someone and automatically their interests become mine. Funny how that works..but I never really remind myself to constantly consider doing that to others.
verse 5: Approach a relationship the way Jesus approaches one.
verse 6: Even though Jesus IS the most important- He never used that- He always used that for the benefit of others.
verse 7: He made Himself nothing. He emptied Himself.
Jesus made a decision to empty Himself.
Do you understand?
Paul is reminding us that Jesus could either get what he deserved or get what He wants.
He could either get glory, honor, and respect...or a relationship with you.
verse 8: HE HUMBLED HIMSELF.
He decided to place Himself under someone else..not 50-50 or equal. completely under.
How many times do you find Jesus serving??
ALWAYS.
He humbled Himself by being obedient to death. He is saying, "I died on a cross in an effort to make your deal, more important than mine.
He knew He couldn't have both, what he deserved and what he wanted..so He chose a relationship with us. He was nothing but SELF EMPTYING.
When we are arguing with people, you can be 100% right all the time, but that is trying to be right, not respectful. So you see, we can be sooooo right, but wrong at the same time. And by being wrong like that you push people away, whether you see it or not.
Jesus wants us to love the same way He loves us- which means the relationship becomes before the wants.
The greatest evangelism is through this kind of a relationship.
John 13:35 "Your love to one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
We all desire to be in love- As Christians we have been instructed how to do so.
We can demonstrate Christ dying on Calvary through the way we love..and by staying in love.
This isn't just for falling in love with your special someone either.
It is how we should love all people.
Just like He does.
Falling in love requires a pulse, staying in love requires a plan.
My Father,
Help me love others like you love me. You chose me, a sinner who is so unworthy of you, over the glory and honor you deserve more than anything. I will never be able to thank you enough. Your compassion goes beyond my comprehension Lord, but please continue to show me the depth of it. Teach me exactly how to love the guy you have set aside for me too. That way, when I do begin to fall in love, I will be able to stay in love with him because I have you as a role model. Thank you for your word and the way it guides us for our everyday lives. I am falling so in love with you more and more everyday. I want a heart like yours. I love you with every part of me. Thank you for putting me before you.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Please Tell me Again
Jesus,
If I am your beloved,
can you help me believe it.
Tell me once again who I am to you,
that I belong to YOU!
:)
I just heard this for the first time and I can't describe how perfect the lyrics are..
LISTEN TO IT!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Live it Up!
Good heavens, if I had a penny for every time I used, or heard, that saying to rationalize whatever I was about to do, I could pay off my debt to Carson-Newman! Being in college, you are bound to hear those 3 words at some point or another. However, I never really expected to stumble upon them in the Bible..
Check it-
"Young people, it's wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in." - Eccl. 11:9
Heeeccckkkk yeah!! Alright God, I see ya....Go big or go home, party like there ain't no tomorrow, no regrets, right? Whatever we want??
Yes..and no.
I read on..
"But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do."
Okay cool, totally wanna do that..more specific please God.
"Keep reading Lexi.."
So I did and it goes on..
"So refuse to worry and keep your body healthy. Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your creator..Honor Him before life is not pleasant anymore."
Well shoot, things just got real.
After I read that, I asked God to show me ways to avoid letting my life ever becoming unpleasant.
And He did:)
Live for a cause greater than yourself- in other words, live for Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
Know what you stand for- some things should not be even questioned. Don't even consider choices that are forbidden in God's word.
The 10 commandments tells us not to steal, lie, cheat, murder, commit adultery, or worship false gods.- Issues such as these should be non-negotiable for His followers.
Rationalizing sin is a quick route to bondage to it.
Don't worry.
When you worrying you are showing your lack of faith in the belief that God can take care of you. You are saying to everyone else, "Hey, I'm worried because this world is controlled by chaos and not an all-powerful, all-knowing God."
Don't worry about tomorrow, because God is already there.
Take care of your body.
Our bodies our not ours to decide what we wish to do with them.
They are temples of the Holy Spirit. Believers should not abuse their bodies with drugs, alcohol,
immorality, or other destructive behaviors.
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; "- 1Corinthians 6:19
Do not simply give into the desires of the moment. Remember to live a life to please Him.
We are not promised tomorrow...
Wake up, know what's right, and live it up, to shine His light:)
Dear Jesus,
help me chose to live my life based on the unchanging truths found in your word. I know that obeying you always results in internal peace and joy. I am surrendering my wants to you. Please show me to live by your holy, unchanging ways. You are so beautifully perfect. I am so thankful for your grace. Thank you for giving me more chances than anyone ever even thought about giving your son. I love you with all my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Totally a Bridesmaid
Best Friends means different things to different people. Some insist that you can have only one best friend. Others say you can have many. Whatever the definition is for you, your best friend is the person who gets you. They understand who you are and what you are saying. The greatest distance cannot separate you. You will always feel close with them, and be able to instantly pick up where you left off even after many days of separation..
Jamie Hatcher.
A best friend since kindergarden, sister in Christ, and forever by my side.
Thankful for her and our adventures today:)
All of Me
In a relationship we have to completely give ourselves to that person and to the Lord’s will. We must fully trust God in what He is going to do their life and ours. To be able to walk through that situation and give God all that you have--allow God to do His will and to learn to love and to trust in Him completely. In terms of a passage about giving our entire hearts to God, David is described as a man after God’s own heart. In spite of our weaknesses and our flaws, God still wants our whole hearts. The end of this song confesses that “Heaven brought you to this moment.” Even in rough times, God uses those moments to reveal His glory. He wants to use the darkness of human circumstances to redeem us with His light. He wants to use those moments in our lives to work through us and reveal Himself.
I absolutely love this song!!
Monday, December 26, 2011
M6:33
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."- Matthew 6:33So. Yeah.
For reals, I have so much on my mind right now I don't even know how to put it all down to make any sense, whatsoever. I just finished one of the best books I have ever read,
Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. If you have not read it yet, go to the bookstore NOW!
Anyways. Bottom line, it was amazing and it really portrays God's love in every way possible.
This past semester, I can honestly say I have never questioned God so much in my entire life. The whole Romans 8:28 thing has been the hardest concept to swallow. Lately however, I have been understanding more and more about the people God uses in our lives. Some are ungodly, some are extremely random, some strangers, and some amazing. God can use absolutely anyone to accomplish His plan for us, in our lives.
Not only does he use people, but he uses situations too.
I think it is absolutely insane how God never ceases to teach me something through every bit of hardship I go through. He has really shown me, these past couple of months, to be thankful for them, to find beauty in them, and to learn from it, because they all have a purpose.
After truly accepting everything I went through these past couple of years, saw the changes He made in my life, and realized I overcame what I once thought was impossible, because of Him, I let myself think He was done preparing me.
Without realizing it, I sort of shut Him out then in a way. Stopped fully listening, and fully seeing.
I guess you could say I was at a jogging pace in my race.
It's funny how God uses our vulnerable spots to break us.
When He opened my eyes to someone, by seeing Him in that person, the first thing I did was question Him.
I was completely shut off to breaking down any walls and doing the whole trust ordeal, with anyone besides my Jesus, after all I had been through.
I remember specifically saying, "God, you're real funny. Butterflies are my weakness and YOU KNOW THIS! so why??"
crickets.
Anyways, as time went on the walls dropped (I don't even think I had a chance of keeping them up if I tried), and by doing so, I grew to know an awesome person living full out with HIM and for HIM.
& one thing he constantly reminded me of was Matthew 6:33. Actually, forgetting that verse would be impossible now..
There is a passage in Redeeming Love that made everything even more clear
and even strengthened my faith a good amount.
"..only he had opened himself to be used in her life by Christ. Through him, Christ had been able to fill her until she was overflowing. He had always said it happened because of God; now she knew that was true."
God used one of His faithful servants to break down my walls.
"She was doing good with her life, and it was all because of him, because of what she has seen in him. 'Seek and ye shall find,' he'd read to her, and she had. Maybe if she found a way to tell him, it would give him peace."
"She was doing good with her life, and it was all because of him, because of what she has seen in him. 'Seek and ye shall find,' he'd read to her, and she had. Maybe if she found a way to tell him, it would give him peace."
God gives and He takes away.
Ever since my walls fell I have started running again.
Heartache and unanswered questions made me run faster.
I spent that past month so confused and frustrated I couldn't dig in His word enough. By doing so, I grew hungry.
The more you read, the more you know, the more you know, the more you grow.
God answers prayers. Even the ones where we are basically yelling the question whyyyy over and over again.
My pace in the race was unacceptable.
And with my walls up I could not see my own speed (kinda weird but it makes sense in my head, ha sorry).
M6:33 is the way I write it on the corner of my hand every day, to remind me I am still running that race and to keep my eye on the prize.
I am thankful for the way God works for the good of His children.
I am thankful for his obedient servants.
Ever since my walls fell I have started running again.
Heartache and unanswered questions made me run faster.
I spent that past month so confused and frustrated I couldn't dig in His word enough. By doing so, I grew hungry.
The more you read, the more you know, the more you know, the more you grow.
God answers prayers. Even the ones where we are basically yelling the question whyyyy over and over again.
My pace in the race was unacceptable.
And with my walls up I could not see my own speed (kinda weird but it makes sense in my head, ha sorry).
M6:33 is the way I write it on the corner of my hand every day, to remind me I am still running that race and to keep my eye on the prize.
I am thankful for the way God works for the good of His children.
I am thankful for his obedient servants.
Just like the passage in Redeeming Love, because of what I had seen in that person, I seek and I find and I allow Christ to fill me to overflow. .something I wasn't fulfilling to the max before.
Through this past semester I have learned to trust again, to keep building my faith, and to start my day off every day with falling in love with Him all over again.
Why is not my question anymore, it is what...
I know what I want. Oh, God, I know. But what do you want me to do?
Ephesians 5:10 tells us to find out what the Lord's will.
That is what He wants.
"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." vs. 15-20
mmm verse 17..I had become foolish without even realizing it. I forgot to continue to understand and know what the Lord's will is with my walls up.
Like I said, I let myself think He was done preparing me.
I felt like I was strong enough and there wasn't really anything else he could strengthen me against.
eh-wrong.
By losing that barrier, I listen and see so much more.
He isn't done writing my story yet:)
Don't ever be content with your pace in the race.
Open up your hearts, lay down your guard, and do not be afraid.
Thank goodness I left that jog pace in the dust.
I be dead sprintin now.
holllaaaaa whats up good lookin prize!
Through this past semester I have learned to trust again, to keep building my faith, and to start my day off every day with falling in love with Him all over again.
Why is not my question anymore, it is what...
I know what I want. Oh, God, I know. But what do you want me to do?
Ephesians 5:10 tells us to find out what the Lord's will.
That is what He wants.
"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." vs. 15-20
mmm verse 17..I had become foolish without even realizing it. I forgot to continue to understand and know what the Lord's will is with my walls up.
Like I said, I let myself think He was done preparing me.
I felt like I was strong enough and there wasn't really anything else he could strengthen me against.
eh-wrong.
By losing that barrier, I listen and see so much more.
He isn't done writing my story yet:)
Don't ever be content with your pace in the race.
Open up your hearts, lay down your guard, and do not be afraid.
Thank goodness I left that jog pace in the dust.
I be dead sprintin now.
holllaaaaa whats up good lookin prize!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Easy as Pie
Lets be real.
It is SO EASY to let the familiarity of the famous Christmas story dull our awareness. We tell ourselves we already understand it all and there really isn't anything left to learn from it.
Wrong-o.
There is always a more deeper and intimate look waiting for us. It is God's truth He wants us to unveil and apply to our lives.
YADA! ( I'm all about it this break)
Christmas reminds us-
By His mercy we are His own
By His grace we are never left alone
Stay ready
Keep your heart focused and your eyes ready.
THE WORD BECAME FLESH
My deeper look into the Christmas story:)-
The event of Mary & Joseph having a baby in a manger was not as weird as it seems to us. Back then, it looks ordinary.
It was an ordinary event.
Yet this event was the most significant incident in history.
So, think about it. It is the same for us!
Events that seem ordinary in our lives may be occasions when the Lord is doing something AWESOME.
We can never know the importance of situations in our lives by just simply looking at them. Because God is constantly working to fulfill His will and purpose, every event and decision we make in our lives has significance. We just need eyes to discern the truth & have faith that our Lord is working out His perfect plan for us:)
You can't determine a person's value by his or her environment.
One would think when a king is born he would be swaddled in silk and surrounded by extravagant smells and perfumes.
well...The King of all Kings...Luke 2-
"She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger.."
We all judge a person's worth based on his surrounding too much these days.
But, in the Lords eyes..every person is significant.
He created each of us for a specific purpose and loves us unconditionally.
The ultimate proof for our worth is the fact that Christ considered us so valuable He died for us!
When people have truly met Jesus Christ, they cannot keep quiet about Him.
"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."-Luke 2:17-18
We need to become as BOLD as the shepherds!
It is our job to take the gospel to those who have not heard it but then so many believers lack the courage to share their faith,
We know so much more that the shepherds did.
they had a one-time experience with and angel, but we have the written word of God available at all times!
Wake up and lets get with it.
Share the gospel.
Don't let yourself get in the way of sharing the only message that can change a person's eternal destiny:)
God uses ungodly people to accomplish His purposes.
During Jesus' birth Caesar Augustus was the ruler of the Roman empire.
Who knew that his choices would determine the course of history?? Crazy.
The Lord was simply using him to accomplish His plan.
(and Caesar thought he was in control-ha!)
I love this part-
700 years earlier, the prophet Micha foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem...but Mary & Joseph lived in Nazareth.
Because of Caesar's decree they traveled to Bethlehem & it was by no accident that Jesus was born while they were there.
By using an ungodly man to work out the circumstances, the Lord fulfilled His promise he had made 100's of years earlier!
He can use anyone to carry out His plans.
Let Him use you.
The key to experiencing all that God has planned for us is to listen and obey.
Happy Birthday Jesus! I love you!!!
Jesus,
forgive us for making this day even the slightest bit not about You! You came 100% human & 100% God, perfect in every step, and left behind the greatest promise for all who believe! In return please take everything I am. I will never be able to thank you enough. I pray that you Lord, the source of hope, will fill me completely with joy and peace because all my trust is in you and so that I may overflow with confident hope through the power of your Holy Spirit. Use me and Send me Lord. I love you with all of my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
It is SO EASY to let the familiarity of the famous Christmas story dull our awareness. We tell ourselves we already understand it all and there really isn't anything left to learn from it.
Wrong-o.
There is always a more deeper and intimate look waiting for us. It is God's truth He wants us to unveil and apply to our lives.
YADA! ( I'm all about it this break)
Christmas reminds us-
By His mercy we are His own
By His grace we are never left alone
Stay ready
Keep your heart focused and your eyes ready.
THE WORD BECAME FLESH
My deeper look into the Christmas story:)-
The event of Mary & Joseph having a baby in a manger was not as weird as it seems to us. Back then, it looks ordinary.
It was an ordinary event.
Yet this event was the most significant incident in history.
So, think about it. It is the same for us!
Events that seem ordinary in our lives may be occasions when the Lord is doing something AWESOME.
We can never know the importance of situations in our lives by just simply looking at them. Because God is constantly working to fulfill His will and purpose, every event and decision we make in our lives has significance. We just need eyes to discern the truth & have faith that our Lord is working out His perfect plan for us:)
You can't determine a person's value by his or her environment.
One would think when a king is born he would be swaddled in silk and surrounded by extravagant smells and perfumes.
well...The King of all Kings...Luke 2-
"She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger.."
We all judge a person's worth based on his surrounding too much these days.
But, in the Lords eyes..every person is significant.
He created each of us for a specific purpose and loves us unconditionally.
The ultimate proof for our worth is the fact that Christ considered us so valuable He died for us!
When people have truly met Jesus Christ, they cannot keep quiet about Him.
"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."-Luke 2:17-18
We need to become as BOLD as the shepherds!
It is our job to take the gospel to those who have not heard it but then so many believers lack the courage to share their faith,
We know so much more that the shepherds did.
they had a one-time experience with and angel, but we have the written word of God available at all times!
Wake up and lets get with it.
Share the gospel.
Don't let yourself get in the way of sharing the only message that can change a person's eternal destiny:)
God uses ungodly people to accomplish His purposes.
During Jesus' birth Caesar Augustus was the ruler of the Roman empire.
Who knew that his choices would determine the course of history?? Crazy.
The Lord was simply using him to accomplish His plan.
(and Caesar thought he was in control-ha!)
I love this part-
700 years earlier, the prophet Micha foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem...but Mary & Joseph lived in Nazareth.
Because of Caesar's decree they traveled to Bethlehem & it was by no accident that Jesus was born while they were there.
By using an ungodly man to work out the circumstances, the Lord fulfilled His promise he had made 100's of years earlier!
He can use anyone to carry out His plans.
Let Him use you.
The key to experiencing all that God has planned for us is to listen and obey.
Happy Birthday Jesus! I love you!!!
Jesus,
forgive us for making this day even the slightest bit not about You! You came 100% human & 100% God, perfect in every step, and left behind the greatest promise for all who believe! In return please take everything I am. I will never be able to thank you enough. I pray that you Lord, the source of hope, will fill me completely with joy and peace because all my trust is in you and so that I may overflow with confident hope through the power of your Holy Spirit. Use me and Send me Lord. I love you with all of my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A Fabulous Night
Last night, the Adams & the McDermids faked a big Christmas dinner for my sister. Little did she know that it was all about her and it would no longer be the 5 of us anymore. (by the way, that pose is a joke. ha)
My sister has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We have been through thick and thin together and I am beyond blessed to have the relationship with her that I do. Our family just got bigger!
I am so happy and excited about Stace becoming my future brother in law! I am thankful that my sister is going to be in the hands of someone like him. She is very lucky, and so are the rest of us to have him become apart of us. God has blessed us a great amount with placing Stace and his family in our lives, they are such sweet, fun, loving people. I cannot put into words how much of a relief it is to know Amber is starting a life with someone who looks at her the way Stace does.
Congrats guys! I love you so much!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Dear Prince,
You are my night in shining armour.
You are all I want. All I need.
I write this letter to you, from the bottom of my heart.
Please except this love letter as an invitation for you to see, have and consume, every part of it.
My heart is yours and yours alone.
You have shown me to be careful with who I allow to see it,and with that said, I cannot think of a better place for it to be than in your hands.
Jesus, people will fail me, guys will lie to me, and this world will tease me.
But you...:)
You will never forsake me.
You have told me you will never stop loving me, and to rest in those words alone,is like a glimpse of Heaven itself.
My heart is in your hands, my eyes are on your kingdom, my feet are running to your open arms, and my hands are reaching for yours.
No one has ever, or will ever, love me like you do.
I searched in all the wrong places for the feeling you give me.
I wished for someone to want me.
I tried so hard to be good enough.
I just wanted to be special.
And then I found you, because you wanted ME.
You told me I was perfect, exactly how you made me..
You told me I was more than good enough.
You told me I was special to you.
I love how different it is with you.
I love loving you..you, you, you..I can't get enough..
I am not risking anything..
I am gaining EVERYTHING.
Thank you for saving me.
Forever Yours,
Lexi B.
Pressin on.
Ahh!! What a perfect day!Simply glorious because it was made by my Father.
I spent half of it today with this stunning chick to the left. Lyssa boo.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but she is kinda like the energizer bunny to me. She is such a beautiful sister in Christ to me and every time I leave her I just want to dig into His word even more. Truly inspiring!
and for that, I am thankful:)
We had like a 2 hour convo at Mt. Lodge today, over a de-licious country lovin lunch, and the main focus of it was the importance to press on, no matter what.
We are going to have interruptions in life, there is no stopping them. Lately, I have been hit with the major confusion interruption. However, I realized I can determine how it plays in my life.
And I have decided it isn't an interruption.
It is an invitation.
An invitation to learn more, draw closer to my Jesus, and fight the good fight.
Faith.
Jesus, there is only one thing left to do-
drop all I have and follow you.
KEEP PRESSING ON.
Joshua wrote down a command for us to help us along the way.
Here's my little break down I got from it:
1. We are to be:
-Strong
-Courageous
-Careful
2. We MUST meditate on His word Day & Night
- Do not depart from it!
3. We should NOT be terrified or discouraged.
and after steps 1-3, He promises us we will be successful & prosperous:)
However, He leaves us with another promise, and it is that He will be with us through all of those step, WHEREVER we go...
Joshua Chapter 1:7-9
Sweet heavenly Father,
I am lost at words at your grace. I find so much comfort in your arms. Thank you for your promises. Thank you for today and thank you for Alyssa. You shine so brightly in her. You have placed me on this journey and I pray that I am faithful and obedient to you along the way. I pray that I trust you every step I take, Lord, because you are so trustworthy. Your way is perfect and your way is good. Thank you for loving a sinner like me. I am in awe at everything you have done for me and you never cease to amaze me. Everyday you do something that just knocks me off my feet. I am head over hills in love with you, and I want to know you even more! Jesus consume me from the inside out. Pressing on for you and with you.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Admiring Peter
"When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted." -Psalm 138:3
I WANT TO BE BOLD.
Tonight I got to thinking about how so many of us, including myself, try to fit in with whatever group, place, or situation we are in. Or maybe, not necessarily try to fit in, but we don't try to be different either.
So I thought, why try to blend in when God has made us to stand out?
I want to always speak with confidence.
"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"-Hebrews 13:6
Peter was bold for Christ.
But, before he was, he realized he denied that he knew Jesus. He felt so ashamed and couldn't even think that Jesus would ever forgive him.
Guess what, He did. Shocker huh? Man we are so lucky to have such a forgiving God!
Anyways, Jesus chose Peter to be the one who would lead many to the Gospel.
Imagine Peter's surprise.
Three days later, after Jesus ascended up to heaven, on the day of Pentecost, Peter boldly preached the Gospel and 3000 people were saved and baptized!!!
To go even further, no long after that, the Bible says, Peter & John were greatly disturbed while preaching the Gospel one evening and thrown into jail for doing so.
This is the best part though-
"many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about 5000."-Acts 4:4
Because we are children of God and accept Christ as our savior, we are going to face some trials from time to time, in our life.
Therefore, it is important that we choose to be bold and stand firm in our faith.
Trust in Him.
If God gives you the opportunity to tell the Gospel to someone, do not ignore it, you may never see that person again.
"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
How often do you pray about your boldness in proclaiming the gospel of Christ?
Most of us are so consumed by desiring "things" that forget to pray for opportunities, boldness, clarity, passion in presenting Christ to a lost world.
Tonight I realized how much I lacked about praying for my own mission of spreading the gospel.
I need the Gospel daily. I need to pray for boldness DAILY.
We could all learn a lesson or two from Peter.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for loving me. Forgive me for failing you countless times today. Please, rid me of myself and fill me with your Holy Spirit. You have shown us Your will through the Scriptures as revealed to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. You have called me to be bold, to be strong, and to be of good courage as I face daily trials. I pray that lean on your word as my guide and your Spirit to give me the strength I need to be a faithful and bold witness for the Gospel. Lord, give me a chance to share your life and your love with others. Use me. Jesus, enable me to be a person who strengthens the faith of others because my faith in you is shown strongly. Thank you for what you have done in my life, what you are doing, and what you are going to do. Praying for a bold spirit within your perfect future plans you have for me, Lord. I love you with all my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
I WANT TO BE BOLD.
Tonight I got to thinking about how so many of us, including myself, try to fit in with whatever group, place, or situation we are in. Or maybe, not necessarily try to fit in, but we don't try to be different either.
So I thought, why try to blend in when God has made us to stand out?
I want to always speak with confidence.
"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"-Hebrews 13:6
Peter was bold for Christ.
But, before he was, he realized he denied that he knew Jesus. He felt so ashamed and couldn't even think that Jesus would ever forgive him.
Guess what, He did. Shocker huh? Man we are so lucky to have such a forgiving God!
Anyways, Jesus chose Peter to be the one who would lead many to the Gospel.
Imagine Peter's surprise.
Three days later, after Jesus ascended up to heaven, on the day of Pentecost, Peter boldly preached the Gospel and 3000 people were saved and baptized!!!
To go even further, no long after that, the Bible says, Peter & John were greatly disturbed while preaching the Gospel one evening and thrown into jail for doing so.
This is the best part though-
"many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about 5000."-Acts 4:4
Because we are children of God and accept Christ as our savior, we are going to face some trials from time to time, in our life.
Therefore, it is important that we choose to be bold and stand firm in our faith.
Trust in Him.
If God gives you the opportunity to tell the Gospel to someone, do not ignore it, you may never see that person again.
"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
How often do you pray about your boldness in proclaiming the gospel of Christ?
Most of us are so consumed by desiring "things" that forget to pray for opportunities, boldness, clarity, passion in presenting Christ to a lost world.
Tonight I realized how much I lacked about praying for my own mission of spreading the gospel.
I need the Gospel daily. I need to pray for boldness DAILY.
We could all learn a lesson or two from Peter.
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for loving me. Forgive me for failing you countless times today. Please, rid me of myself and fill me with your Holy Spirit. You have shown us Your will through the Scriptures as revealed to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. You have called me to be bold, to be strong, and to be of good courage as I face daily trials. I pray that lean on your word as my guide and your Spirit to give me the strength I need to be a faithful and bold witness for the Gospel. Lord, give me a chance to share your life and your love with others. Use me. Jesus, enable me to be a person who strengthens the faith of others because my faith in you is shown strongly. Thank you for what you have done in my life, what you are doing, and what you are going to do. Praying for a bold spirit within your perfect future plans you have for me, Lord. I love you with all my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hungry.
I am still desiring a more intimate relationship with my Jesus everyday. Tonight I listened to what Charles Stanley had to say about it on one of His pod casts and then dug into Gods word about it myself, and I am so glad I did.
An intimate relationship with God is the number one, highest priority He has for us.
An intimate relationship with God demands something of us.
An intimate relationship with God goes way deeper than what you see, touch, or feel.
It goes way beyond the surface.
Charles Stanley brought up the whole "just being saved or going to church is not enough" spill. You know, the one we have all heard a million times. But, he explained it in a way that hit me hard this time, and I didn't simply brush his statement off thinking it didn't pertain to me.
He started talking about how we easily find ourselves being satisfied with all the surface stuff. Whether it is in a relationship, materials, food, or hobbies; but we fail to realize that our deepest hunger still isn't satisfied, even after having all the surface we can get.
Intimacy is closeness, or oneness. It is the ultimate purpose for which God created us. The Bible says, "Let us create man in our own image." Yes! HIS image.
Our ultimate purpose on this earth- to walk as Jesus did.
To have an intimate relationship takes work. Just like a relationship with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or husband and wife, would.
We must:
1. Make it personal.
2. TRUST
3. Make it a 2way relationship.
4. Put forth time & effort.
Lets be real. If this were about a relationship with a guy I was considering to date, all of those would be A MUST and I wouldn't question any of them. So why is it so hard to remember these requirements for our relationship with the one who gave us life? Why do we make it so hard to love someone so lovable?
Make it personal.
God wants us to be open, honest, and free, when we talk to Him. It is more that just asking and thanksgiving. We should also be saying, "Here is my heart, Lord. I want you to see everything. There is nothing I am holding back or hiding from you." If one thing is true, it is: we cannot have a relationship with anyone with secrets.
Open your heart, completely.
Tell Him what is really going on in your life.
TRUST.
You cannot have an intimate relationship without trust.
It is the heart of our relationship.
If we trust Him, we will obey Him. When we obey Him, it is because we love Him.
Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey me."
True genuine love for Him goes beyond just simply saying "I love you, Father." Genuine love demands something of us, and if it is genuine, what it demands, will be natural. Out of love.
Make it a 2way relationship.
How do you know if your's is 2way? Simple.-
How long do you listen after you finish talking to Him?
Develop a listening heart. He will not deceive or mislead. His spirit speaks to our spirit, we just have to be willing to listen.
Put forth time and effort.
God is the source of every single thing we have, and we seriously have the nerve to tell Him we are to busy for Him on some days??
I always repeat this to myself, "The more you learn, the more you know and the more you know, the more you grow."
boom baby. #fact.
Only God can satisfy the human life. Therefore we must put forth time and effort towards our relationship with Him, just like we would with any other relationship.
He must be first.
When we develop an intimate relationship with our sweet savior we gain 4 things:
1. Stability- We become like and anchor when storms blow our way.
2. Security- He is not up there. He is inside.
3. Serenity- We gain a sense of quietness, peace & contentment with life.
4. Sensitivity- We become sensitive to other people and their needs. Natural Servants.
When we get rid of our barriers of pride, rebellion, and hurridness, an intimate relationship with Him can be found.
Charles Stanley said, "A day is going to come when our heart beats for the last time and we are going to meet God. Will you be a stranger to Him?"
My prayer is to thirst for Him as David did, a prayer of Psalm 63.
Dear Father,
Thank you for wanting a relationship with a sinner like me. You are so pure, holy, and perfect, all the things that I am not. Lord, I want to thirst for you like David did. I earnestly seek you, because your love is better than my life. My lips will glorify you. You are my help and I will cling to you. You are my best friend and I give you my heart. I pray that my treasure will always be in you and not in anything of this world.
I love you with all my heart, Jesus.
Your daughter,
Lexi
An intimate relationship with God is the number one, highest priority He has for us.
An intimate relationship with God demands something of us.
An intimate relationship with God goes way deeper than what you see, touch, or feel.
It goes way beyond the surface.
Charles Stanley brought up the whole "just being saved or going to church is not enough" spill. You know, the one we have all heard a million times. But, he explained it in a way that hit me hard this time, and I didn't simply brush his statement off thinking it didn't pertain to me.
He started talking about how we easily find ourselves being satisfied with all the surface stuff. Whether it is in a relationship, materials, food, or hobbies; but we fail to realize that our deepest hunger still isn't satisfied, even after having all the surface we can get.
Intimacy is closeness, or oneness. It is the ultimate purpose for which God created us. The Bible says, "Let us create man in our own image." Yes! HIS image.
Our ultimate purpose on this earth- to walk as Jesus did.
To have an intimate relationship takes work. Just like a relationship with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or husband and wife, would.
We must:
1. Make it personal.
2. TRUST
3. Make it a 2way relationship.
4. Put forth time & effort.
Lets be real. If this were about a relationship with a guy I was considering to date, all of those would be A MUST and I wouldn't question any of them. So why is it so hard to remember these requirements for our relationship with the one who gave us life? Why do we make it so hard to love someone so lovable?
Make it personal.
God wants us to be open, honest, and free, when we talk to Him. It is more that just asking and thanksgiving. We should also be saying, "Here is my heart, Lord. I want you to see everything. There is nothing I am holding back or hiding from you." If one thing is true, it is: we cannot have a relationship with anyone with secrets.
Open your heart, completely.
Tell Him what is really going on in your life.
TRUST.
You cannot have an intimate relationship without trust.
It is the heart of our relationship.
If we trust Him, we will obey Him. When we obey Him, it is because we love Him.
Jesus says, "If you love me, you will obey me."
True genuine love for Him goes beyond just simply saying "I love you, Father." Genuine love demands something of us, and if it is genuine, what it demands, will be natural. Out of love.
Make it a 2way relationship.
How do you know if your's is 2way? Simple.-
How long do you listen after you finish talking to Him?
Develop a listening heart. He will not deceive or mislead. His spirit speaks to our spirit, we just have to be willing to listen.
Put forth time and effort.
God is the source of every single thing we have, and we seriously have the nerve to tell Him we are to busy for Him on some days??
I always repeat this to myself, "The more you learn, the more you know and the more you know, the more you grow."
boom baby. #fact.
Only God can satisfy the human life. Therefore we must put forth time and effort towards our relationship with Him, just like we would with any other relationship.
He must be first.
When we develop an intimate relationship with our sweet savior we gain 4 things:
1. Stability- We become like and anchor when storms blow our way.
2. Security- He is not up there. He is inside.
3. Serenity- We gain a sense of quietness, peace & contentment with life.
4. Sensitivity- We become sensitive to other people and their needs. Natural Servants.
When we get rid of our barriers of pride, rebellion, and hurridness, an intimate relationship with Him can be found.
Charles Stanley said, "A day is going to come when our heart beats for the last time and we are going to meet God. Will you be a stranger to Him?"
My prayer is to thirst for Him as David did, a prayer of Psalm 63.
Dear Father,
Thank you for wanting a relationship with a sinner like me. You are so pure, holy, and perfect, all the things that I am not. Lord, I want to thirst for you like David did. I earnestly seek you, because your love is better than my life. My lips will glorify you. You are my help and I will cling to you. You are my best friend and I give you my heart. I pray that my treasure will always be in you and not in anything of this world.
I love you with all my heart, Jesus.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Monday, December 19, 2011
Brown Sugar
My definition of a friend: Someone who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor; If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."- Ecc. 4:9-10 Spent the day with my favorite kind of Brown Sugar ever, Miss Chantall Hamilton. She was my very first girlfriend made when I started Carson-Newman, and I love everything about this beautiful girl. She has such a sweet spirit and holds me accountable for many things, and for that I am so thankful!
We started off the day at Starbucks of course (my fave), had some awesome God convos there with Candace also, then cooked dinner together for my handsome grandfather, got our work out on at the gym, got in touch with our creative side and did some crafts, had a dance party with my little brother and cousin while making a cake and the night still isn't over!
Anyways, throughout the day we have listened to Kari Jobe's "You Are For Me" song multiple times.
The song is basically about how beautiful our Jesus is and how no matter what, He is 100% for us! How insane is that to truly think about?
The man who is absolutely PERFECT cheers us on all the way, no matter the circumstance, no matter the mess-up, no matter ANYTHING. He will always be for us! Through our weaknesses and our lowest.
To me, that thought just makes me fall more in love with Him and want to please Him in everything I do.
He is in the stands cheering me on, more than anyone. Therefore, I am gonna give this game my all.
I am in love with my #1 fan.
We started off the day at Starbucks of course (my fave), had some awesome God convos there with Candace also, then cooked dinner together for my handsome grandfather, got our work out on at the gym, got in touch with our creative side and did some crafts, had a dance party with my little brother and cousin while making a cake and the night still isn't over!Anyways, throughout the day we have listened to Kari Jobe's "You Are For Me" song multiple times.
The song is basically about how beautiful our Jesus is and how no matter what, He is 100% for us! How insane is that to truly think about?
The man who is absolutely PERFECT cheers us on all the way, no matter the circumstance, no matter the mess-up, no matter ANYTHING. He will always be for us! Through our weaknesses and our lowest.
To me, that thought just makes me fall more in love with Him and want to please Him in everything I do.
He is in the stands cheering me on, more than anyone. Therefore, I am gonna give this game my all.
I am in love with my #1 fan.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The Reason I Smile
The hardest battle you will ever face is the battle with yourself.Throughout the past 4 years of my life I have faced hardship after hardship, fought in battle after battle.
I fell down and picked myself back up more than I ever thought was possible, and sometimes, the space between falling down and standing back up would feel like a lifetime.
I battled many demons through those 4 years, and still have to fight them off every single day. I walked down the path of an eating disorder, depression, addiction, and even suicide. With my Bulimia, it was my way of punishment for not being perfect. I did everything I could to become somebody’s perfect person. I became addicted to running because it helped me relieve some of the stress I put myself under and of course, it was another way to lose weight. I thought if only I could be smaller, maybe they will love me more. After all, the perfect girls live happily ever after, right? However, I could never meet that standard of perfection (because it doesn’t exist), and I sank into a state of deep depression. There was nothing that could get me out of bed, no one I wanted to talk to, or anything that could make me smile. Therapy wasn’t fixing me fast enough, my anti-depressants weren't working, it seemed like nobody understood, and my world was crashing in on me....fast. Depression eventually turned into cutting. And when that wasn’t enough pain to mask my real problem, I just wanted to die. I remember the day that I knew my strength was completely gone like it was yesterday. I had thought all day on how I could end my life. Which way would be easier, what would be less painful for my parents, and what would be the quickest. I was completely serious about each one of those plans, and that scared me more than anything ever has in my life. I was scared to death of myself. That night, around 3 am, I was so broken I knew if I was alone for another minute I was going to do anything I possibly could to end all the pain. The voice in my head had complete control over me. I ran into my parent’s bedroom and just collapsed into my mother’s arms and begged for help. My mom held me and told me one thing that changed my life. She said, “Lexi, please..Christ has His arms around you right now, He loves you so much.” That was the night I embraced my sweet savior back and I haven’t let go since.
Like I said, I still fight those demons off everyday, but now I fight them off with the help of my God. Every morning I put on His armour. It is how I started today, and it is how I will start tomorrow.
Now, I can’t fathom the fact that I ever thought the way I did about myself. I let the desires of this world slowly break me until I couldn’t be broken anymore. Lots of people say when you struggle with these things, you will deal with them for the rest of your life; or that the eating disorder mind never goes away. To me, I think that is a load of bull. During my treatment, when I would hear those things, I would get so discouraged. .Until my Jesus showed me anything was possible with Him. He told me He would never leave me and as long as I lean on Him, I can overcome ALL.
Because of HIM,
I know I am beautiful.
I know I am perfect in His eyes.
I run with a purpose, I run for Him.
I go to Him as my stress reliever.
I get out of bed so I can show people what He has done for me.
I want to talk about Him all day er’day.
Because of HIM…I smile.
I will always have that “voice” in the back of my mind that was once so loud and so convincing. But I have learned to quiet the voice, I have learned to reject the voice, I have learned to replace the voice with God’s truth.
What is God’s truth? It is that I am a child of His. Therefore, He loves me more than I will ever be able to understand. It means I am already completely accepted and fully pleasing in His eyes, and nothing else matters. It means I am beautiful because I was created by Him and because He lives within me.
What baffles me the most today though, is that I thought that path was it for me.. that that was all my life meant to entail. Yesterday, I dug into the story of Joseph and all that God has to show us through him. Joseph suffered for 13 years before he knew what God’s purpose was for it all. Joseph persevered, obeyed, and kept abiding.
The dark moments in our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish his purpose in us.
We don’t see it but God sees it, because He sees our life from beginning to end.
So, when I begin to ask God why, during those times it seems like it is always raining on me.. why did He give me this, take away that, or why did I deserve any of that, I remember His purposes.
1. He is preparing us for our future.
2. Dark moments require we keep our focus on Him. He is building our faith.
3. He is conforming us to the likeliness of Christ, training us to be a strong leader.
We have to remember, if we are living for another purpose, other than His, we will be disappointed.
His love for us does not eliminate the pain and heartache, but it does guarantee us that all of it will be used for His glory and our good.
I promise you that he still cares, hold on just a little bit longer, it is gonna make you stronger.
Try and do the best you can. Fall into His arms.
I look at the past 4 years of my life as a true blessing from Him. I am not ashamed of anything I went through, or careful at holding some of it back because it is my story of what He did for me. When I stopped trying and started trusting, my life was changed.
He is the reason for all my joy.
Father, Abba, my precious King..
You bleed your love and gave me life, no one’s ever sacrificed and loved me the way you do. Rid me of myself and fill me with your holy spirit. Thank you for my sufferings and thank you for your blessings. I give you complete control over my life, Lord, because I know that I am nothing without you. I pray that I find beauty in everything, even my bad days, because I know you are with me wherever I am. Thank you for accepting me, when I am so unacceptable. Thank you for saving me.
I love you with all my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Friday, December 16, 2011
Best Date Ever
Last night, I got to spend the evening with my most absolute favorite guy in this world (apart from my Daddy, of course.) We shoved our faces with de-licious Japanese, at our favorite place, Little Tokyo, followed it up with some Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt in Waldens Landing (well I did, Tuck doesn't appreciate dessert like me,) and then finished the night with popcorn and a movie. I realized last night how blessed I am to have such an amazing, ADORABLE, respectful, and fun baby brother. I cherish our friendship more than anything. I am so proud of everything he says no to and stands up for as a sophomore in high school these days. I hope and pray that my story keeps him from learning things the hard way, like I did. I love this saying, -" He may be taller than me now, but I'm still his big sister. I'll do my best to protect him each day and never let any troubles come his way."
TJ, is the most precious person I have, he is my baby brother, my world.
I love you Tucker Joel!
Sweet heavenly Father,
I pray that you watch over Tucker everyday and continue to draw him closure to you. Keep him safe from the harms of this world and give him the strength to say no to all the temptations that come his way. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful little brother. Jesus, please help me be the perfect influence he needs in his life. Make me someone he can look up to and someone that always points him your way. Hold his hands through the ups and downs and make him a light for YOU.
I love you with all my heart.
your daughter,
Lexi
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Since 1995
Started off Christmas break with a Starbucks date with 3 beautiful girls I love so much.
You know those people you can not see for what seems like eternity, but when you finally do, it's like you never left each other, nothing has changed, and there is no one who knows more about you then them???Yeah, these are my people like that. My bestfriends since 1995.
God thank you for placing such amazing friends in my life from the start. You have blessed me in countless ways with these girls. You are so gracious, loving, and faithful, and for that I will praise you always.
I love you with all my heart,
your daughter-
Lexi
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Who Are You?
What we are is God's gift to us...
What we become is our gift to God.
There are ..what, 6 billion people on this planet? Of those 6 billion people, every single one is created uniquely by our creator.
Who are you?
Your identity has to be wrapped up in something. Whether it is music, football, dance, video games, the outdoors, or what ever, we are defined by something or maybe even many things.
But the question is.. what defines you the most?
I tried to think about if people could look up Lexi Adams in the dictionary what would be found by my name..think about it.
I want to be defined as Lexi Adams- follower of Christ.
Surely that has something to do with my identity, right?
We often think, I grew up in church, spend my summers at a christian camp, claim to love Him on facebook and tell people I'm praying for them all the time.
Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.
All of that is great, but that isn't enough to make myself who I want to be known as.
In order to do so I must commit to my Jesus in everything I do-
the people I spend my time with
the words that come out of my mouth
the music I listen to
the clothes I wear
the attitude I carry
the TV shows I watch
the hobbies I have
the way I take care of my body
If I am seeking God's will in everything I do, who I am will shape me into Who HE intended on me to be.
I want that to be my definition, no questions asked. I want HIM to be my identity.
Who you are should be wrapped up in something bigger than you,
bigger than school, bigger than your team, bigger than your life.
Jesus,
I give you my Christmas break. I want to spend every day learning and growing more in my understanding of your power and love so I may glorify you in all I do. Take my hand today and guide me along your path of your perfect will for my life. Show me how to love like you, and break my heart for what breaks yours. Protect my mind from Satan's false beliefs and give me your truth to replace it with. Write your words on my heart so I can win the daily battles of this world. Mold me into a servant for all I come in contact with, Make me a light that shines so brightly for YOU. I pray that you reveal to me anything in my life I have not given control of completely to you. Fill my cup to where I am overflowing with your love, joy, and peace. Give me a heart like yours. Please teach me patience and obedience. Help me seek you in every decision I make. I want people to see you, through me. I want you to be my #1 identity. Father I love you with all of my heart and all that I am. I surrender my everything to you. I want to spend everyday of this break falling more in love with you.
Your daughter,
Lexi
What we become is our gift to God.
There are ..what, 6 billion people on this planet? Of those 6 billion people, every single one is created uniquely by our creator.
Who are you?
Your identity has to be wrapped up in something. Whether it is music, football, dance, video games, the outdoors, or what ever, we are defined by something or maybe even many things.
But the question is.. what defines you the most?
I tried to think about if people could look up Lexi Adams in the dictionary what would be found by my name..think about it.
I want to be defined as Lexi Adams- follower of Christ.
Surely that has something to do with my identity, right?
We often think, I grew up in church, spend my summers at a christian camp, claim to love Him on facebook and tell people I'm praying for them all the time.
Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.
All of that is great, but that isn't enough to make myself who I want to be known as.
In order to do so I must commit to my Jesus in everything I do-
the people I spend my time with
the words that come out of my mouth
the music I listen to
the clothes I wear
the attitude I carry
the TV shows I watch
the hobbies I have
the way I take care of my body
If I am seeking God's will in everything I do, who I am will shape me into Who HE intended on me to be.
I want that to be my definition, no questions asked. I want HIM to be my identity.
Who you are should be wrapped up in something bigger than you,
bigger than school, bigger than your team, bigger than your life.
Jesus,
I give you my Christmas break. I want to spend every day learning and growing more in my understanding of your power and love so I may glorify you in all I do. Take my hand today and guide me along your path of your perfect will for my life. Show me how to love like you, and break my heart for what breaks yours. Protect my mind from Satan's false beliefs and give me your truth to replace it with. Write your words on my heart so I can win the daily battles of this world. Mold me into a servant for all I come in contact with, Make me a light that shines so brightly for YOU. I pray that you reveal to me anything in my life I have not given control of completely to you. Fill my cup to where I am overflowing with your love, joy, and peace. Give me a heart like yours. Please teach me patience and obedience. Help me seek you in every decision I make. I want people to see you, through me. I want you to be my #1 identity. Father I love you with all of my heart and all that I am. I surrender my everything to you. I want to spend everyday of this break falling more in love with you.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Even In His Dying Moments
Jesus was concerned for His mother. "Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother...When Jesus Saw His mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, He said to His mother,“Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home."-John 19:25-27
My Momma is my bestfriend.
I tell her everything, search for her guidance in everything I do, and need her more than anything.
No matter the circumstance, or how terrible the situation is, my mom is that person who can say, "It's gonna be alright," and a load is lifted off my shoulders.
My Mother's strength will always astonish me.
She holds our family together.
Her ability to love through all that she has on her plate every day, will always leave me in admiration.
Her ability to love through all that she has on her plate every day, will always leave me in admiration.
This morning I read something on how we are supposed to love our mothers.
I will strive to love my mom to the very best of my ability from here on, in these ways:
I will love my mom verbally.
Every woman needs to hear that she is loved. I will tell her that I care for her everyday and admire her amazing quialities and express my admiration for them to her. I will always speak to her with respect, gentleness, and love.
I will love my mom physicially.
I will love my mom physicially.
She was the first to hold me and build me up in a way that no one else could. She deserves my caring touch and 1000 hugs from me left & right.
I will love my mom patiently.
There is no one else who puts up with me and understands me better than her. I need to remember the huge resposibilities she is always under and always pray for her strength.
I will love my mom gratefully.
She gave me life and raised me to the best of her ability, and I couldn't be more thankful. She holds memories I will never know anything about. I can't even try to think about how she managed to raise me. I pray I will always remember to look for ways to show her how thankful I am for her and make her proud by living a godly life like she raised me to.
I will love my mom generously.
I will show her how much I love her and do all that I can to make her life easier. I hope to keep my ears and eyes open for the things I can do for her, lovingly and sacrificially.
I will love my mom tenderly.
I will be sensitive to her emotions and see the incredible amout she is always giving. I know all she wants in return is to be appreciated. Therefore, I will spend the meaningful time with her that I know she craves.
I will love my mom devotedly.
She will always have my support and know that I am there for her, regardless of what is to come.
I will love my mom honorably.
I will show her the seeds of love she has planted in my life that has become harvest of fruit for my Lord's kingdom.
There is nothing in the world more valuable to a girl than her mother. She has forgiven me numerous times, just as my Jesus has. She has sacrificed so much for me and is always overflowing with compassion and support for me.
My mom is so special to me, I will never be able to put it into words.
She will never know the impact she has made on my life and will never know the amount of countless times I would have fallen apart if it wasn't for her.
I lost a lot of friends in my life through out my battle of bulimia and deppression. I had a lot of people who found it easier to walk away, who gave up on me.
My mother was the one person who didn't stop loving me, encouraging me, and standing strong for me.
She never once left me in my time of need, despite all the hurt and trouble I put her through, emotionally, financially, and physically.
She was the one holding me when I was broken to 1000 pieces, when I literally wanted to die, telling me that Christ had His arms around me.
She is the reason I am the lady I am today.
This morning I realized how precious my moments with her truly are.
I am beyond lucky to have her as my mother and I will teach my children everything she taught me.
I want to treat her with the same love & respect that Christ expressed to His mother.
Father,
Father,
Thank-you for my amazing, beautiful, loving, patient, encouraging, strong, mother. Help me always respect her, love her, help her in any way I can, and encourage her, God. Because she deserves it.
I love you with all my heart.
Your daughter,
Lexi
Monday, December 12, 2011
#Winning
So, God has really been wanting me to learn a lesson on obedience lately. At least that is the way I take it; considering It has shown up in each book I have picked up lately, sent to me in verses through encouraging text messages, the topic of a Charles Stanley podcast I found randomly, and the message to old church sermon notes I found in the library today. I mean really? Seriously? Why don't you just put up a billboard. "Lexi obey me.-God" Needless to say, I gave up. Once again, I stepped back and said, okay God. What are you saying to me?
Let's just say, He had a lot to say. The coolest part though was by telling me to dig into the act of obedience, He showed me deeper ways to trust, love, follow, sacrifice, and endure.
I was listening to Charles Stanley speak on how to live a life of obedience and he began by asking, "What is your bottom line to making decisions; do you make the choice based on the hope to impress others; or do you let your emotions decide the direction?
I could think of countless times I have made decisions based on what I wanted, who I wanted to impress, or what would make me feel better.
Where does God fit into the decisions you make?
The next thing Stanley brought up was how we forget to consider the consequences when we are making decisions.
Lets be real, making decisions is inevitable to avoid, we make them everyday, all day, and will continue to for the rest of our lives on this earth. Therefore, we need to know how to make decisions that will please God and glorify Him.
warning: It is unwise to ignore the consequences of our choices.
The definition of a consequence is what naturally follows a previous action & There is ALWAYS impact, whether it be good or bad.
I have to keep in mind that this doesn't only pertain to huge life changing decisions; it applies to EVERY decision we have to make. For example, what we wear, who we hang out with, where we go, the music we listen to, the conversation we start or engage in, our diet & exercise, our studies at school, our attitude, and I could go on and on..
I know that through out my struggle with bulimia and depression I made many decisions without thinking of my consequences, and let me tell ya, I definitely reaped what I had sown.
When I would choose to ignore my health, refuse the proper diet and exercises, and never allow my body to rest, I was making decisions based on what I wanted. Each time I would experience the consequences from my selfish choices, I blamed God and didn't take the time to realize that I was the one who chose that life for myself.
Charles Stanley pointed out the perfect way to look at it:
God is responsible for our consequences of our obedience, we are responsible for our consequences of our DISobedience.
bingo.
What are you sowing?
What is your attitude about your life? We must obey God rather than men. Just like Noah, Moses, Nehemiah, Joshua, Peter, and many others did. They were committed to obey God, NO MATTER WHAT.
We are to learn to obey Him and leave the consequences to Him. There is nothing more essential to our lives on this earth than following Jesus and trusting Him to care for our every need.
Do you believe God is in control? that he has got you taken care of in His plan for you?
If not, then you might as well throw out tweeting, facebooking, or whatever Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
I learned tonight that I need to be willing to obey Him and trust Him because I KNOW that it is all for my good.
Requirement to obey:
1. Believe that God is sovereign and controls all things at all times.
2. Trust that He will work for our good in every situation.
3. Love the Lord always, not just when it is convenient and needed.
4. Listen to Him.
5. Be courageous, following His will often leads to conflict. Be willing to do what is right anyways.
6. FULLY SURRENDER TO HIM.
I asked God to reveal to me any part of my life I had not given Him complete control of yet and He showed me an area I had isolated from Him so I could control it myself.. which was only keeping my from growing stronger in my faith.
I will be obedient because:
1. Christ's love is my motivation.
2. Sin is destructive and I must avoid it.
3. My Father holds my best interest at heart.
4. Obedience leads to joy in every circumstances, especially sufferings.
5. He is BEYOND worthy of my obedience.
You are loosing everyday that You don't give everything over to Him.
You cannot lose when you obey God!
#WINNING
Precious Father,
I may not like what you want me to do but I promise you I am going to strive everyday to obey you in every decision I make and put my full trust in You, because I know your ways are always for my good. Please give me the strength to be courageous and let go of anything I hold on to that is not right before you. Come break the chains that pull me down. Lord come write your name on my heart. I give you all my devotion and everything I am. Captivate my heart, and consume me from the inside out. Tonight I bow down and say that I need you, I love you.
Draw me near to you Father!
Your daughter,
Lexi
Let's just say, He had a lot to say. The coolest part though was by telling me to dig into the act of obedience, He showed me deeper ways to trust, love, follow, sacrifice, and endure.
I was listening to Charles Stanley speak on how to live a life of obedience and he began by asking, "What is your bottom line to making decisions; do you make the choice based on the hope to impress others; or do you let your emotions decide the direction?
I could think of countless times I have made decisions based on what I wanted, who I wanted to impress, or what would make me feel better.
Where does God fit into the decisions you make?
The next thing Stanley brought up was how we forget to consider the consequences when we are making decisions.
Lets be real, making decisions is inevitable to avoid, we make them everyday, all day, and will continue to for the rest of our lives on this earth. Therefore, we need to know how to make decisions that will please God and glorify Him.
warning: It is unwise to ignore the consequences of our choices.
The definition of a consequence is what naturally follows a previous action & There is ALWAYS impact, whether it be good or bad.
I have to keep in mind that this doesn't only pertain to huge life changing decisions; it applies to EVERY decision we have to make. For example, what we wear, who we hang out with, where we go, the music we listen to, the conversation we start or engage in, our diet & exercise, our studies at school, our attitude, and I could go on and on..
I know that through out my struggle with bulimia and depression I made many decisions without thinking of my consequences, and let me tell ya, I definitely reaped what I had sown.
When I would choose to ignore my health, refuse the proper diet and exercises, and never allow my body to rest, I was making decisions based on what I wanted. Each time I would experience the consequences from my selfish choices, I blamed God and didn't take the time to realize that I was the one who chose that life for myself.
Charles Stanley pointed out the perfect way to look at it:
God is responsible for our consequences of our obedience, we are responsible for our consequences of our DISobedience.
bingo.
What are you sowing?
What is your attitude about your life? We must obey God rather than men. Just like Noah, Moses, Nehemiah, Joshua, Peter, and many others did. They were committed to obey God, NO MATTER WHAT.
We are to learn to obey Him and leave the consequences to Him. There is nothing more essential to our lives on this earth than following Jesus and trusting Him to care for our every need.
Do you believe God is in control? that he has got you taken care of in His plan for you?
If not, then you might as well throw out tweeting, facebooking, or whatever Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
I learned tonight that I need to be willing to obey Him and trust Him because I KNOW that it is all for my good.
Requirement to obey:
1. Believe that God is sovereign and controls all things at all times.
2. Trust that He will work for our good in every situation.
3. Love the Lord always, not just when it is convenient and needed.
4. Listen to Him.
5. Be courageous, following His will often leads to conflict. Be willing to do what is right anyways.
6. FULLY SURRENDER TO HIM.
I asked God to reveal to me any part of my life I had not given Him complete control of yet and He showed me an area I had isolated from Him so I could control it myself.. which was only keeping my from growing stronger in my faith.
I will be obedient because:
1. Christ's love is my motivation.
2. Sin is destructive and I must avoid it.
3. My Father holds my best interest at heart.
4. Obedience leads to joy in every circumstances, especially sufferings.
5. He is BEYOND worthy of my obedience.
You are loosing everyday that You don't give everything over to Him.
You cannot lose when you obey God!
#WINNING
Precious Father,
I may not like what you want me to do but I promise you I am going to strive everyday to obey you in every decision I make and put my full trust in You, because I know your ways are always for my good. Please give me the strength to be courageous and let go of anything I hold on to that is not right before you. Come break the chains that pull me down. Lord come write your name on my heart. I give you all my devotion and everything I am. Captivate my heart, and consume me from the inside out. Tonight I bow down and say that I need you, I love you.
Draw me near to you Father!
Your daughter,
Lexi
I'm Official!!
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."-Proverbs 3:5-6 -(total fave!)
As of about 45 minutes ago, I am officially a 2012 staffer for Crossings Camps! I could not be happier about it, and I am so thankful that God put such an amazing opportunity in my path.
This is something that has consumed my prayer life for the past week. God, your will be done. The thought of spending my entire summer pouring out and digging into the gospel makes me want to jump up and down.. literally. I'm not gonna say I did that for about ten minutes straight after the phone call..but I did. (plus all those girls in the picture, total insanely awesome sisters I want in my life!) Anyways, the coolest thing about getting that phone call today was how God spoke to me through it, in so many ways. This afternoon was my U.S. History II final and needless to say it beat me..Seriously though, how discouraging is it when you spend SO long and put so much into making a good grade in a class and it still wasn't enough? Well thank goodness HIS grace IS enough. I felt like it was taking every ounce of strength I had to get back to hitting the books for my next final. I was talking with my friend Paul, and it was definitely one of those times that one thing falls and then everything else in your life that isn't going how you'd like it seems 10 X's worse too all of a sudden. I just broke down on him about how I was so ready to go home, get away from school, and study my savior and His word all day everyday, not this Nixon and Bush nonsense. My bad attitude quickly turned into how confused I was about my path with my major and when I am going to get the chance to go out, away from this school, and spread the love for my Jesus and serve Him with my ALL. Don't get me wrong, I know I can do all those things just as much here in my mission field at CN, but come on, I am so eager!! Anyways, as soon as I was about to let that one Debby downer moment affect the rest of my day..my cell phone rang:) Technically it was Victoria from Crossings calling me, but it was also God. He was telling me to relax. He has a perfect plan for me that is unfolding more and more everyday. He was telling me to not get discouraged, or lose heart. Keep running. He has everything under control.
How dare I question that for a second. Trust that God's ways are always right and know that every step of obedience you take today, will take you one step closer into the future He has planned for you:)
God promises & He will deliver.
REMINDER: A future filled with hope & blessings doesn't just happen automatically, we have to keep abiding;
1. seek God and pray about your future.
2. be diligent to obey Him.
"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
-Isaiah 30:21
Father,
Thank you for the good plans you have for me. Help me to obey you in every are of my life so I don't do anything that would hurt your perfect and pleasing will. Help me hear your voice, every step of the way. I ask that you would help me to trust you and your ways. I love you with all of my heart.
your daughter,
Lexi
As of about 45 minutes ago, I am officially a 2012 staffer for Crossings Camps! I could not be happier about it, and I am so thankful that God put such an amazing opportunity in my path.
This is something that has consumed my prayer life for the past week. God, your will be done. The thought of spending my entire summer pouring out and digging into the gospel makes me want to jump up and down.. literally. I'm not gonna say I did that for about ten minutes straight after the phone call..but I did. (plus all those girls in the picture, total insanely awesome sisters I want in my life!) Anyways, the coolest thing about getting that phone call today was how God spoke to me through it, in so many ways. This afternoon was my U.S. History II final and needless to say it beat me..Seriously though, how discouraging is it when you spend SO long and put so much into making a good grade in a class and it still wasn't enough? Well thank goodness HIS grace IS enough. I felt like it was taking every ounce of strength I had to get back to hitting the books for my next final. I was talking with my friend Paul, and it was definitely one of those times that one thing falls and then everything else in your life that isn't going how you'd like it seems 10 X's worse too all of a sudden. I just broke down on him about how I was so ready to go home, get away from school, and study my savior and His word all day everyday, not this Nixon and Bush nonsense. My bad attitude quickly turned into how confused I was about my path with my major and when I am going to get the chance to go out, away from this school, and spread the love for my Jesus and serve Him with my ALL. Don't get me wrong, I know I can do all those things just as much here in my mission field at CN, but come on, I am so eager!! Anyways, as soon as I was about to let that one Debby downer moment affect the rest of my day..my cell phone rang:) Technically it was Victoria from Crossings calling me, but it was also God. He was telling me to relax. He has a perfect plan for me that is unfolding more and more everyday. He was telling me to not get discouraged, or lose heart. Keep running. He has everything under control.
How dare I question that for a second. Trust that God's ways are always right and know that every step of obedience you take today, will take you one step closer into the future He has planned for you:)
God promises & He will deliver.
REMINDER: A future filled with hope & blessings doesn't just happen automatically, we have to keep abiding;
1. seek God and pray about your future.
2. be diligent to obey Him.
"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
-Isaiah 30:21
Father,
Thank you for the good plans you have for me. Help me to obey you in every are of my life so I don't do anything that would hurt your perfect and pleasing will. Help me hear your voice, every step of the way. I ask that you would help me to trust you and your ways. I love you with all of my heart.
your daughter,
Lexi
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