He Stands By Me...

I've heard this song many times before, but it's amazing how a song can speak to you differently at different times in your life. Right now, in this moment I'm wholeheartedly reminded of God's protection over me and that He's always with me through the tough, ugly, and beautiful.

If I could only emblaze this on my heart...

So often, I hear the phrase, "be strong in the Lord." But how often does a more in depth definition really follow as to what that entails? In my experience not too often. This quote that I found from a Discovery Series study explained it perfectly! Let my heart be ignited with these words EVERY TIME I even try to do something in my own strength.

"You may be so by having no confidence in your own ability, by doing what God says and trusting him to back you, by exercising what is called "the obedience of faith," by stepping, at God's command, towards closed glass doors and watching them swing open as you reach them. Your strength lies in what he does whey you obey." This last line gives me chills each time and I imagine a choir of angels wondering if this powerful point has finally hit home with me.

Reminder to me: Don't be afraid to reach out or stand out for Christ. Don't hesitate, just obey.

Old Times

Today I had a sweet sub job that made me reminisce about having my own class. Although, I do miss having that consistent opportunity to support the same group of young minds and had hoped to get back into teaching at some point. However, with all the sad hoopla surrounding education right now, it would truly have to be God that opens that door. In the meantime, I'm going to do my absolute best to embrace this adventure of where He wants to use me and simply bloom where I'm planted in each situation. Fully knowing that this road is leading me to my permanent place of purpose.

Fellowship

You know those people that make you feel a little less alone? Well, I have an entire group of women in my church growth group that God works through to speak to me and I'm incredibly grateful. We are different in so many ways, but what bonds us is our desire to serve the same God and live out a relationship worth every mountain and valley that we have to pass through. We're doing this church-wide study called Serving the Master and last week's focus was on spiritual gifts. It's amazing to study where my piece of the puzzle makes the most sense and though it is a process, I'm open to where God leads me and excited to fulfill His purpose for my life. God Bless those who wholeheartedly use their gift(s) and those of us currently searching.

For a more in-depth assessment dealing with the following 9 serving gifts (evangelism, prophecy, teaching, exhortation, pastor/shepherd, showing mercy, giving, administration), there is a free online 108 question questionnaire available at http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php.

This song is so fitting for those searching days. Enjoy!

Fight the Good Fight

Fatigue, hopelessness, a cycle of worry. Why do I find myself struggling through my faith once more? I know that God has a plan for my life, but ooh it's been a long dry season of trying to get there. The parable of the talents has constantly been on my mind lately too. I don't want to waste a single day of not using what God has planned for me to use for his purposes. The only problem is that I've struggled for quite some time trying to figure out what these talents are let alone how to use them. So, until I have my epiphany in this direction, I'm going to P.U.S.H. (pray until something happens)!

What are some things you've done to get you through the rough seasons of life?

A Healing Hope

This first song led by Kirk Franklin left me overwhelmed with emotion and heart-strengthened at the same time. The first link as an example in motion of how they will know us by our love. May God heal and restore the Haitian people with hope. What reminders refresh your hope during times like these?

Haiti | Christian Music - Gospel Music Channel

One Question

Questions. Big or small. Thought-provoking or simple. This intriguing question really made me take pause this morning and ask myself how I would answer. With there being no right or wrong answer. Just a question you might be interested to ponder...

Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans from Benjamin Reece on Vimeo.

If you could have one wish come true by the end of today, what would your wish be? No limits...just go for it!

Don't Have to Face It On Your Own

Far too often, one can hide themselves for fear of total exposure. Fear of being exposed for being so imperfect it hurts. Yet, the key to healing lies not in continued guilt, but rather connection with a Savior that accepted us with full knowledge of our past and future scars. This song has most recently compelled me to remember the freedom I have in Christ.

What is it you have been trying far too long to face solo?

Year in Review

Focus. Focus. And one more for good measure, focus. This is going to be my parting mantra for 2009 and heading into 2010. This year God-willing, I want to stay focused not on what the world thinks is important, but what I know in my heart God has called importance to. To be less about me and more about Him and serving as a reflection of Christ to others. (I feel like there should be a Hallelujah in there somewhere). With that said, here's my recap of 2009...

This is a rendition from a post I found through Shutter Sisters.

The #best09 Prompts

Trip- What was your best trip in 2009? Duh. Kaua'i was a very rugged and simultaneously serene family vacation. We ate like Hawaii royalty every morning with french toast, guava juice, french toast, omelets, and yes french toast again. This trip is sooh to blame for my obsession with dried mangoes. To sum Kaua'i up, roosters, rainforest, roosters, mosquitoes, roosters, must-see plantation train tour, roosters, Bubba's Burgers and killer milkshakes, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, roosters, Marriott water slide, roosters, Fern's Grotto, tiki torches lit nightly, roosters, and my beloved mangoes.

Restaurant moment- Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind? I'd have to say that it's a toss up between the breakfast french toast in Kaua'i with the dinner buffet that we had on the last night. My family and I experienced an gastronomical delight of massive proportions, that I'm still trying to work off. The sheer selection of pastries had me practically going into a food coma. Everything stands out in my memory, but probably the mini eclairs that were melt in your mouth sinful!

Article-What's an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious'd and reference throughout the year. Blank on this one. But please share if there's some amazing article I failed to come across this "09 year.

Book- What book - fiction or non - touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies? Without a doubt, Margart Feinberg's Sacred Echoes and Organic God deeply spoke to me. I started it because of a church group that was doing a study.

Blog find of the year- That gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year. Shutter Sisters and Bianca Juarez's, In the Name of Love.

Moment of peace-An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there? My peace this year came not just in solitude, but in community-my growth group helped to bring me this complete sense of peace through laughter and support. Thanks chicas! Much love!

Challenge Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you? By far, finishing my master's project on First-Generation College Students and Integrative Approaches to Reducing Street (sounds super academic, huh?) There were major highs and lows of writing such an intense paper, but through God's grace, His mercy covered my mood swings and I did make it to graduation day to accept my Master of Arts in Counseling (not the MFT sort, more like academic counseling serving students..but I digress).

Album of the year-What's rocking your world? Two Words. Addison Road. Enough Said.

The best place- coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook? Any pew at church, it provides a sense of safety and retreat that freezes time.

New food- You're now in love with Lebanese food and you didn't even know what it was in January of this year. Empanadas and Pupusas. Something about them just makes my mouth water. Then again most food makes my mouth water.

Tea of the year- I can taste my favorite tea right now. What's yours? I got hooked on TJ's green blueberry tea this year. It's my cup of coffee.

Word or phrase- A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____." Heart-opening.

Shop- Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year? What can I say? Forever 21 is a girl's best friend, no matter the budget.

Car ride- What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with? Nada on this one too.

New person- She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009? No sappiness, but family who support me and my dreams in whatever, shade or shape they come in. Gracias mi familia!

Learning experience- What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you? I've learned that daily living for me requires constant surrender of my worries and dreams. Since it is only in this surrender that God can really work in my life...when I finally let my grip of it go.

Gift- What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving? More of a gift given to me. A graduation gift that captures every priceless moment.

Laugh- What was your biggest belly laugh of the year? "Buddha Baby" challenging me to a straight-up stare down contest and winning!

Resolution you wish you'd stuck with. (You know, there's always next year...) Eating less sugar.

Thank God for this year of eye-opening, pull at my heartstrings moments and for abundant blessings to many to name.

What have been some of your '09 bests and dreams for '10? Feel free to share and give me some ideas for 2010! ;)

Peace Out '09, it's been a ride for sure.

Verse of the Week

This week's verse that has resonated with me has been Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It is far too easy to become distracted with everyday circumstances, but this verse reminds me that I can let go of feeling like I have to be in control of every little thing. Because in the end, it's ultimately in God's hands anyway and He has far more awe-inspiring plans for my life than I could ever imagine on my own.

Security...Lay it Down

This faith walk that I've been on lately has been quite the revelation. The only reason for tonight's post is so that I remember this particular revelation and not let it pass me by. I had a slightly unexpected pricey bill come my way today and had the crashing realization that I had felt pretty "cushy" until this blow to my current stash. In this moment of rushing heaviness, I was met with the reality that I had based my security not on God alone, but on what I monetarily posssessed on my own. This lesson was definitely not a pleasant one, but appreciative nonetheless for the reminder that God is truly my only security and the worries that can come with having "seemingly" less need to be laid down at the cross of Jesus Christ. For only through, with, and in him does my true security lie. So, Jesus my troubles, I lay em down to you.

Sacred Echoes

So, I just finished this incredible study by Margaret Feinberg called the Sacred Echo and it was pretty awesome. It is about how God can speak to us through repetition, but only if we're attentively listening and open to his whispers that echo through his word, wise counsel, or through random conversation. I sooh yearn for God's voice in my life to be the guiding light through every waking moment, thought and action. But because I can get so caught up in this life being about me instead of being about Him, this study was beyond a welcome refreshment. I'd like to continue on with this theme of Sacred Echoes and keep track of the things that God is speaking to me through his whispering echoes.

As I write, the song that has become this season's theme song, "What Do I Know of Holy" is on in the background by Addison Road and I've started to consider it my special song between God and I. In my life, I really feel that God uses songs to speak to me the loudest and when I'm at my most broken points, He reaches me and reminds me of his outstretched arm that is always in a constant embrace over me. So, thank you Lord for the constant reminders of your power, grace, and constant love that cover me always.

More than the Surface Level I

This was a simple way to bring in my whole new blog era. The list is from a bunch of photography blogs, and I adapted it to me. :)

I AM …stuck in a rut.
I WANT… a new camera that rocks with taking pictures.
I HAVE …the worst neckache.
I KEEP … starting a blog, but not keeping up, something is different about this time though.
I WISH I COULD … have one of those laugh so hard it hurts moments right now.
I HATE … doing the whole job search thing!
I FEAR … growing into old age as solo as can be.
I HEAR … Craig David in the background on pandora.com
I DON’T THINK … that I am positive enough at all, but working on that.
I REGRET … caring too much about other's opinions to be myself! :)
I LOVE … mi familia, starlit nights, and bonfires.
I AM NOT … the quiet, reserved one that some people tend to think I am.
I DANCE … like you wouldn't believe!
I SING … my best when the radios blaring.
I NEVER … go to bed at the same time.
I RARELY … go out with friends as much as I would like to.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH …Ghostwhisper recently because the husband is gone.
I AM NOT ALWAYS … as selfless as I would like to be.
I HATE THAT … I don't have an affordable hobby...yet.
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT … how to broaden my community of friends.
I NEED… to get a massage, learn Spanish, find a job with my new degree, and get off this dang addicting computer!