I really, really, really wish I would update this thing more often. I do so have things to say, I just never seem to find the time and the energy to really say them. But I'm going to say something now...I'm just not quite sure what.
Let me start off by saying that I am more convinced than ever of the power of Scripture and the importance of knowing it by heart. "For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ~Hebrews 4:12, NIV. I have worried that when I tell people to read Scriptures, that they will skim it and not understand it, pretty much unless I am there to help them. But that's just mere pride on my part, and doubt in the power of God's Word. Good heavens, He doesn't need ME to explain His Word!!! Like as not I'd probably just bungle it up and rob it of its power! And it is so important to have His Word in our hearts. "I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." ~Psalm 119:11, NIV.
I've been struggling recently with certain amounts of pride. This is MY area of ministry now - thank you, God, SO MUCH for putting me here, but now that I'm here, I've got this, and I'll take it from here! You can go back to fixing someone else's life now! But that is the WRONG attitude to have. I have no doubt that my ministries will cause me to struggle and suffer as much as they will bring me great joy and honor God. And what about my career? I was always going to have some kind of career, and right now I have NOTHING resembling a career at all. And I'm so afraid that any kind of career I can have without a degree will take me away from church. Essentially, I'm pretty sure that even God can't give me both. Even God doesn't have quite enough power or enough knowledge or enough sovereignty to find some kind of career AND allow me to be a youth leader.
WHAT? How can I possibly doubt Him? How can I, when He has given me so much and provided my every need and given me above and beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of? "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with this, graciously give us all things?" ~Romans 8:32, NIV.
I would just like to give praise and glory to God right now for the relationship I have with my parents. I love my parents more than anything, and I know that I can go to them with anything and they will love me no matter what, and they have supported me through things I did not expect them to, and they make me laugh like none other. I am so grateful for the man that my dad is, and I hope the man I marry will be a lot like him. And I am so grateful for my mom, who is a gentle and loving woman of God, and who does what He asks of her even when she feels what He's asking is too much. And I can't express how grateful I am for the gifts He's allowed my mom and I to share, the gift of music being the best one of all. Making music with my mom is one of the best things I do. I literally hope I never have to move far away from my parents, because I'm not sure I could do it for very long. Only once in my 22 years have I ever gone more than about ten days without seeing them...and I did not care for that. My parents are the best, and I love them so very dearly.
Haha, now that I'm writing I don't want to stop, but it's nearly midnight and I'm pretty tired. Hopefully I can get the creative juices flowing again soon - I'd really, really love to update this blog more often. I also have a new blog, over at my dear old site livejournal.com, and my username is whatrighthavei. Check out that blog sometime too.
Our God is greater
Our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer
Awesome in power
Our God
Our God
