‘Are You Safe?’

The following (including the scripture) was taken from chapter five of Corrie Ten Boom’s Not I , But Christ.

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:3-9

 

“Obedience is very important. Love and obedience belong together. The winds may blow, but there is peace. Jesus was obedient, yes, willing to die on the cross for you and for me. What love!”
“If we are hidden with Jesus in God, the peace remains. ‘Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea’ (Ps. 46:2).
“Although it may be night, we shall experience: ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’ (Ps. 91:1).”

 

 

Obama Prayer List

My pastor gave this list several weeks ago of things we should pray on behalf of President Obama:

1. That he would have a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. That the Lord would guide him in all truth.
3. That he would be a man of much prayer.
4. That he would act in a biblical manner in every decision.

    

These may seem like impossible things to pray for, but when my pastor gave this list he cited the following verse:
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. ~ Proverbs 21:1

President Obama, whether he wishes it or not, is in God’s hands and under His control. God is more than capable of answering these prayers, if we would only be faithful in praying them. The final statement my pastor made about this (more as a reminder to make us think than with the intention of accusation) was that if we Christians are not willing to pray, then we are ultimately responsible for where this country ends up because we are the ones with access to the One who controls it all.

I personally was very encouraged by what he said, especially the scripture he mentioned. I hope by posting this here that others will be too.

Keep the faith!

 

Another glimpse at the pages of my journal…

“God, you see where I hurt. You know the things I’m struggling with—the things that weigh on my heart. Please carry them for me, for I cannot. Grant me the wisdom to know how I must live; peace to rest in; and the serenity I need to go on and still reflect You to others. Oh, please wrap me Your grace, and keep me covered in the palm of Your hand.”

“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading. It is a life of faith, not of intellect and reason, but a life of knowing Who makes us ‘go.’ The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest snares is the idea that God is sure to lead us to success.
“….The life of faith is not a life of mounting up with wings, but a life of walking and not fainting. It is not a question of sanctification; but of something infinitely further on than sanctification, of faith that has been tried and proved and stood the test.” ~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

“Think of the last thing you prayed about—were you devoted to your desire or to God? Determined to get some of the Spirit of God or to get at God? ….The point of asking is that you may get to know God better. ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’ Keep praying in order to get a perfect understanding of God Himself.” ~ Oswald Chambers, MUfHH

“Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but a robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot understand what He is doing, but you know Him. Shipwreck occurs where there is not the mental poise which comes from being established on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the heroic effort of your life; you fling yourself in reckless confidence to God.” ~ Oswald Chambers, MUfHH

 

The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”
Isaiah 32:17

 

 

Martyrs and Thieves by Jennifer Knapp

There’s a place in the darkness that I used to cling to
It presses harsh hope against time
In the absence of martyrs there’s a presence of thieves
Who only want to rob you blind
They steal away any sense of peace
Though I’m a king I’m a king on my knees
And I know they are wrong when they say I am strong
As the darkness covers me

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory
I am not afraid
To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness
I have a kingdom to gain
Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light
Oh I am not afraid
To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life

There are ghosts from my past who’ve owned more of my soul
Than I thought I had given away
They linger in closets and under my bed
And in pictures less proudly displayed
A great fool in my life I have been
Have squandered till pallid and thin
Hung my head in shame and refused to take blame
For the darkness I know I’ve let win

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory
I am not afraid
To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness
I have a kingdom to gain
Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light
Oh I am not afraid
To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life

Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?

Well I’ve never been much for the baring of soul
In the presence of any man
I’d rather keep to myself all safe and secure
In the arms of a sinner I am
Could it be that my worth should depend
By the crimson stained grace on a hand
And like a lamp on a hill Lord I pray in Your will
To reveal all of You that I can

So turn on the light and reveal all the glory
I am not afraid
To bare all my weakness knowing in meekness
I have a kingdom to gain
Where there is peace and love in the light, in the light
Oh I am not afraid
To let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life

There’s a place in the darkness that I used to cling to
It presses harsh hope against time…

 

For my friends who need it:

“Lord, thank You for Your unfailing, never-ending promise that no matter how hard and hectic this life is I can look forward to complete peace and absolute joy when I make it home. Jesus, be my strength and joy today. Fill me with Yourself and be glorified in me. Let others see You in me…in spite of my talent to get in the way of their view.” ~ February 16, 2007

“Lord, I ache today. Please surround me with Your love and fill me with You. Touch my heart and let Your joy be my strength. Carry me close to You. Thank You, Jesus, for Your faithfulness. And thank You that I can trust You with my life!” ~ May 12, 2008
(These prayers from my journal are not meant to be an expression of any personal issues; but rather are being shared in the hopes that someone else can possibly relate to them, make them their own, and be encouraged.)

For those who are worn out, overwhelmed or just need to feel God’s gentle peace:
The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:19

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:7-8

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. Psalm 94:18-19

For those who are filled with longing:
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. Psalm 145: 17-19

for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107: 9

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:23-26

For those who need filled with the Lord’s joy:
Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name. Psalm 97:11-12

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Psalm 46:4-5 (This is one is a personal favorite.)

For everyone:
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. Hosea 6:3

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. 2 Thess. 3:5

“He is not all we would ask for (if we were honest), but it is precisely when we do not have what we would ask for, and only then, that we can clearly perceive His all-sufficiency. It is when the sea is moonless that the Lord has become my Light.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

“My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

 

Excerpts from my Journal

“Jesus, thank You for who You are. And thank You for remaining here with me. You’re awesome and good. Thank You that You never change. I believe You have plans for me and are watching over my path. Please guide me and keep me covered in You.” ~ October 13,2007

“Jesus, be in me and cause me to think and act in the consciousness of Your presence.” ~ February 18, 2007

“Draw me to You, Father. Please forgive my constant distractedness and my lack of a desire to get closer to You. Help me to not let my physical and mental fatigue be an excuse for slacking. Keep me strong. Thank You for Your Amazing Grace!” ~ February 21,2007

“Lord, thank You for Your many and faithful promises which flow from an abundant love. Thank You, Jesus, that because of You I am never alone. And thank You that I have freedom in You because of Your sacrifice.” ~ September 15,2007

“I believe we can rest assured that we are invulnerable so long as God does not give permission for us to be hurt. If He gives permission, He will not leave us alone. He goes with us through the valley, the deep water, the furnace. He will never, absolutely never, leave us or forsake us.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

“Whatever thy grief or trouble be, take every drop in thy cup from the hand of Almighty God. He with whom ‘the hairs of thy head are numbered,’ knoweth every throb of thy brow, each hardly drawn breath, each shoot of pain, each beating of the fevered pulse, each sinking of the aching heart. Receive, then, what are trials to thee, not in the main only, but one by one, from His all-loving hands; thank His love for each; unite each with the sufferings of thy Redeemer; pray that He will thereby hallow them to thee. Thou wilt not know what He thereby will work in thee; yet, day by day, shalt thou receive the impress of the likeness of the ever-blessed Son, and in thee, too, while thou knowist not, God shall be glorified.” ~ E.B. Pusey as quoted in Keep a Quiet Heart

“[I]t is through the tender austerity of our very troubles that the Son of Man comes knocking. In every event He seeks an entrance to my heart, yes, even in my most helpless, futile, fruitless moments. The very cracks and empty crannies of my life, my perplexities and hurts and botched-up jobs, He wants to fill with Himself, His joy, His life. The more unsatisfactory my ‘performance,’ the more He calls me to share His yoke. I should know by now that mine makes me tired and overburdened. He urges me to learn of Him: ‘I am gentle and humble in heart.'” ~ Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

Psalm 105:4
Look to the LORD and his strength;
       seek his face always.

 

‘Wisdom’

This song has been running through my head a lot lately, and this is the path along which many of my prayers run.

Wisdom
I see a multitude of people,
some far away and some close by
They weave together new religion
from tiny remnants they have found
A bit of truth, a greater lie
And all the prophets stand and sing a pleasant song
A million cords that bind the spirit growing strong
My heart is breaking I must remind them

You are the only way
You are the only voice
You are the only hope
You are the only choice
You are the One True God
No matter what we say
You are the breath of life
You are the only way
Give us wisdom, give us wisdom

There is a moment of decision but all the days go rushing by
An undercurrent of confusion to threaten all that we believe
With little time to wonder why
And all the prophets sing the same familiar song
Even the chosen can be led to sing along
These hearts are breaking will You remind us

You are the only way
You are the only voice
You are the only hope
You are the only choice
You are the One True God
No matter what we say
You are the breath of life
You are the only way
Give us wisdom, give us wisdom

You choose the simple things to overcome the wise
Wisdom is granted in the name of Jesus Christ
In the name of Jesus Christ

You are the only way
You are the only voice
You are the only hope
You are the only choice
You are the One True God
No matter what we say
You are the breath of life
We need You here today
~ Twila Paris

 

Miracle (Peanut Butter) Cookies!

This is a recipe my family has been making rather frequently lately, and I suspect we’ll continue to make them often. This particular recipe has several things going for it: 1) They are extremely easy to make; 2) They require only four simple ingredients; 3) They are gluten and dairy free; and 4) They are scrumptious! Due to all of these wonderful aspects, I thought I’d share the recipe here.

 

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 well-beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the sugar and peanut butter. Beat the eggs and vanilla for 3 minutes and add to the peanut butter mixture. Roll into marble sized balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each with a fork dipped in cornstarch or GF flour mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Do not remove from cookie sheet until they are cold or they will crumble! Yield: 48 cookies. ( Found in a community cookbook from O’Donnell, TX)

 

Agenda for tomorrow: I slap floor.

Sound like fun? It should! I have been planning for it. *grin*

I got my first fedora in the mail today! It’s chocolate brown with pinstripes. I’ve wanted to get a fedora for a long time, so when my brother needed one for a part in a play, I finally had a good excuse to buy one! Now my siblings are jealous. 🙂

…I am already out of things to say. And to think that I actually used to be really good at this! Oh well, when all else fails post a quote! Since I forgot to include one with my last post, I get to post two!

“We are each of an unsocial taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb.” ~ Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“I know what you’re thinking about, but it isn’t so, nohow. Contrarywise, if it was so, it might be, and if it were so, it would be. But, as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.” ~ Lewis Carroll

 

*Insert clever title here*

Today has been good.  The women’s Sunday school class started a new study today, and I’m a bit excited about it!  It’s a study on the Sermon on the Mount written by Angela Thomas. The book is called Living Your Life as a Beautiful Offering.

My gardening has gotten off to a good (albeit slow) start.  We’ve had some unusually chilly weather for Texas which has delayed things some. Oh well, it gives me a chance to really plan things out how I want them.

Piano lessons are also going well.  I’m really enjoying them!  It feels good doing something I’ve been planning for years to do.

…in other, not so interesting, news…  I’m currently reading The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.  I love English literature, and I’ve started working through some of the classics.  I’m really enjoying this book.  It has plenty of mysteriousness and suspense along with that good old English style I love so much!

…and um…I’m going to end here.  I know this was boring, but it’s necessary to get into the habit of blogging again.  I need to go to bed, but I hope to write more tomorrow. And hopefully I’ll have more interesting things to say!