be.loved

There have been many times in the past few years that I’ve tried to say I was content, but I think I was just saying so in efforts to convince myself that I really was…and maybe I have experienced moments of contentment, but this past week I can say that I have truly been content. Now I don’t have all the answers figured out and I can’t say everything is perfect, but despite all the ups and downs I am content. And I think that’s part of what being content really means…that despite the circumstances I can still say I have a joy in my heart and I know that this joy comes from my ever faithful Father.

One small difference I’ve noticed in the times I’ve approached God this past week is my attitude. For the past few years more often than not I came to Him in groaning, asking Him to fulfill my needs and the desires of my heart. But this past week I simply came into the Lord’s presence because I deeply and genuinely desired to spend time with Him in face-to-face intimacy.

I am utterly amazed at how God has been working in my life these past few months. I cannot begin to express in words all that I have learned about Him and His faithfulness. I love how I can look back on an experience and see all the ways that God was working through an event or situation. I am so, so, so grateful! I am so excited to see what God is going to do these next few months as I hold my life in an open hand, allowing Him to mold me, teach me, and even rebuke me, but more so than all that, draw me closer to Him.  

Do you ever come across a verse multiple times in a day from various sources? When this happens I believes its more than just coincidence, I feel like God is trying to show me something. So I try to stop and dwell in His words.

Today it was Psalm 89:1 “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.” I also like the NLT version: “Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.” I feel like God is calling me to deeper intimacy with Him and that I can respond to this call by worshiping Him.

“Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.”  So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. “Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.” -Joshua 2:1-14

“But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.” -Joshua 6:25

Last week I went to chapel for the first time in awhile. It was really good! We were studying the story of Rahab in the book of Joshua. I did a study on her a few months ago and I learned so much and was really intrigued by her story. While we were reading the story during chapel, her story captured me once again and I decided that Rahab is one of my favorite people in the Bible.

While many stories in the Bible have a man as the central character, this story is shows how God uses a woman to reveal Himself to His people. Not only Rahab was a prostitute, one of the lowliest people in society, who God used her to bring His people in the Promised Land and to glorify Him, we see that she is in the lineage of Christ (Matthew 1:1-16). Every time I read her story and see how God used her in His story I simply stand in awe.

This story reminds me that God uses the humble and lowly to make His reign visible. It also reminds me that no matter what sin I have in my life God’s grace is sufficient to cover all: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Corinthians 12:9

Last Sunday one of my very best friends made a public affirmation of her faith and was baptized. I cannot express in words how special this moment was. It was only a few months ago that I received a text from her saying that “I accepted God=]” I remember opening this text after church one Sunday and being so overwhelmed with joy that I started to cry. This was one of the happiest days of my life! I was now able to call one of my oldest friends a sister in Christ.

It had been more than a year prior to receiving this text that I could tell that she was searching for something more to life. It was during a coffee date in October 2009 that I remember her asking me questions about my faith and I even invited her to church with me. I continued to pray for her and ask God to open her heart to His great love. Of course, God did not work the timing I had hoped for. But His timing was so much greater! Not only was my friend’s life transformed through her new relationship with Christ, my faith was strengthened in seeing the power of prayer and God’s faithfulness in answering. I am so excited for her new life in Christ!

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” -Romans 6:4

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” -Matthew 7:7-8

I am getting really excited for Kids Summer Adventure (aka VBS) at church next week. I helped with decorations on Tuesday which fueled more of my excitement! The church is going to look so cool!

I’m excited for 2 reasons. One- I’ve been attending Bethany for over 2 years now, but because I am so involved with YL I haven’t really had a chance to serve at church yet. This opportunity with Kids Summer Adventure is a great chance to serve the church and get to be more involved with the church body. Two- The last few months I’ve been doubting whether or not I really want to teach…I spend a lot of time with kids through YL and nannying, but I haven’t been in an elementary classroom since September 2009. While this will obviously not be a classroom setting, I am hoping that spending time with elementary age kids in this structured environment will clear some of my doubts or maybe shed light on what I might what to do instead of teach.

The Pandamania all starts Monday night!!

There haven’t many times in my life that I have been genuinely thankful for being single, but these past few weeks has been one of them.

Because its summer I have so much time on my hands. Outside of work, I have no obligations or commitments. This means two things…I can come home from work and do whatever I want, and I get to hang out with my Young Life girls all the time. Now as great as the first one sounds, its been the second that has brought me so much joy! Taking kids to camp has been the highlight of my summer for the past 2 years, but I did not think hanging out with these girls was going to be such a close second. These sixth grade girls are hilarious and so sweet!

Now how does this relate to being thankful for my singleness?? Its pretty simple…I don’t have anyone, specifically a man, who is taking my time. I can do whatever I want with my time. These girls can be my first priority. I can devote as much time as I want to these girls with few limitations.

And it gets even better…while building relationships with these sixth grade girls is a high priority in my life, there’s one Being who deserve the most of me. I can spend ample amount of time with the Lord with fewer distractions than during the school year. Now I cannot say that He’s received as much of my time as He should, however, when I have meet with Him through prayer, journaling, reading scripture and worship I have encountered His presence. I am so incredibly excited to see how He is going to work in my life this summer. I feel like He has great things in store!

“We must convert our spare time into another kind of time: time when we study the Bible; time when we turn our thoughts toward the throne of God in prayer; time when we pick up a good book, go for a walk, do some gardening, or visit someone in the hospital; time when we do what we have sinfully neglected because we were ‘too busy.’ ” -Josh Phillips

I am going to have a lot of spare time this summer, which I am really excited for! But I hope that I will use it wisely and not waste the days that God has given me.

my daddy treats me like a princess and i absolutely love it! if my father loves me this much, i can only imagine how much my Heavenly Father loves me:)