Friday, January 31, 2014

Protected

One of my favorite times to worship the Creator is when I'm driving alone. Whether it is a quick trip downtown or a longer distance. I turn music up loud and sing my heart out. I would imagine people think I'm pretty odd if they can't hear the music and they see me moving my mouth and bouncing around. That doesn't matter to me though, I have an audience of One.

Today I ran some errands and as I was singing to God I was reminded of how protected I am from so many evil things because of Him.
Knowing that He is always with me, watching over me, and keeping me safe.

I felt so comforted in knowing that. Though living in this evil world can be difficult I know He is never far from me, I can always run to Him and trust Him to protect me. Such peace and joy overcomes me when I remember this truth.

Psalm 91:4-
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 


It is a wonderful joy to be found in Him. Knowing that nothing can take Him away from me. No matter the circumstances, no matter the suffering, pain, or joy. He is always with me, keeping His eye on me and making my way straight.
Of course I go off track but that's my choice, my mistake, my sin. It's not Him pushing me into darkness, it's my own sinful flesh, the evils of this world and the enemy dragging me down.
But what a great joy to know He never changes and never leaves.

Romans 8:35-39-

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God.


What a sweet, sweet joy.

In this life we will face hard times. We will face adversaries. We will face those who hate us because we are in Christ. God knows this and is prepared to be the strength we need to fight against such evils. He is preparing us for these battles daily. It is so important to turn first to Him and ask Him to help us through the day. Ask Him to prepare you for the struggles and protect you from the evils all around us. We face opponents of Christ daily no matter where you are or what you're doing, there is always a rejection to Jesus.

Ephesians 6:12-
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

It can be intimidating and scary to face such situations but with Christ, you can overcome it. He has overcome it already, we need to trust Him and know that God is in control and will keep us safe.

Psalm 121:3-
He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;

Ephesians 6:13-15-

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

When we devote our lives to God and seek Him daily we will be kept safe. We can trust Him to watch over us.

This doesn't always mean that physical harm won't come to us, we live in a fallen world bound to sin so there will be times of sickness or accidents, etc. But the ultimate hope that we have in Christ is that nothing happens without Him knowing it. I will say it again, He is always watching us.
With that truth, we can trust that He has a plan for us in mind.

We should never fear, our Father is near! 




"I will stay should the world by me fold. Lift up Your name as the darkness falls. I will wait and hold fast to Your word, heart on Your heart and my eyes on You.
Who lifts the poor and heals the blind. Who trampled death for all mankind, who stands for all with arms stretched wide? My King forever Jesus Christ!"


-Brit

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Merciful

Thanks be to God for His unending mercy.

My cat, Kitty is 16 years old. She has had a long and wonderful life and has brought my family and I many laughs and a lot of joy. Through her years as a member of the Rose family there have been many memories made that I will hold tight to after she's gone.

The last couple months her health has been failing. She's gone completely blind and can no longer get around the way she used to. She has stopped eating and drinking and if she's not set in one place or on my lap she walks in circles, very lost and confused about her surroundings. It's so, so sad to see her like this. I know she's not in pain. When I hold her close she purrs and falls asleep. Last night I slept with her cuddled on my lap. Though I often awoke just to look at her and make sure she was comfortable I also spent time thanking God for the joy she has brought me. I trust that He is keeping her comfortable and in no pain.
After learning about the way God made our human bodies to naturally shut down I am comforted to know that Kitty is in the same place now.
It is sad to watch her, hard to hold her frail body, and it hurts to think of life without her around. Hissing at Zoe or punching Nerman when he gets too close. She's given us a lot of laughs there is no doubt about that.

Some of you may think I'm crazy for caring this much about an animal but I am fully convinced that God has placed a special compassion in my heart for animals. Yet another way I know He is a personal God.

As I watch her now, walking in circles and bumping into things, tears well in my eyes. She has been a part of my life for 16 years. I can still remember when I first adopted her from a local farm. I had my heart set on calling the cat I adopted Oliver, but after finding out she was a female....well I guess I ran out of ideas and just called her Kitty. Not at all original but that's how I've known her for 16 years. That's how we've all known her.
I recall when she was younger she would wander outside all day but at night I wouldn't go to bed until she came back inside. She rarely, if ever, wanted to be held. In fact, the truth is, she hated to be held. She would growl and sometimes even hiss if too much time went by while she was in my arms. That was all apart of her character, what made her special and funny. She is unlike any other cat I've known and sometimes I would get frustrated at her lack of cuddle-ability. But, oh, the laughs and smiles she has brought me and my family.

I chuckle at the fact that the only time she would really want attention is when she wanted someone to fill her food bowl. Otherwise, a short pat on the head is all she allowed. Pet her too much and she would growl and run away. Back up to "Helm's Deep" as my dad labeled my bedroom where Kitty would often reside for hours.

I also have to remember briefly the time we brought her camping with us. I don't remember exactly how old I was but I do remember that after we parked our camping trailer in it's proper place, we realized two rottweiler dogs were camping right beside us. Kitty was far from happy, though to this day we joke about how much she loved that camping trip. She spent the whole weekend on my bed staring out the window at the huge dogs next door.

God has blessed me with wonderful memories to hold on to, and though some may not understand it, I will always love Kitty as a member of my family. She's not just a pet, an animal to be thrown out in the cold, she has been family to me. Again I say, God knows me so well and knows how much I love animals so I know He gave Kitty to me to enjoy the companionship she has given me. Even through the hissing and growling.

She has not passed on yet, but I am preparing for it soon. I know God is merciful, even to animals. Even to Kitty. He knows my heart and the love I have for Kitty and knows it would hurt even more for me to see her suffering. I trust that He will keep her comfortable until her life is no more.
There is a big part of me that hopes animals will be in Heaven, but I'm not so sure as I realize they do not have souls like human beings. Either way, however, I have enjoyed Kitty in this life and will always be thankful to God for His love for me and for the animals. After all, He created them and He loves His creation.

Genesis 8:1-
But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.

Jonah 4:11-
And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

I am well aware that we as humans are more valuable than animals to God but He does indeed still care for the animals and all of His creation. Therefore, we need to do the same.
Also, since He does care for us, He knows what breaks our hearts. He has made me to have a different kind of compassion on animals than that of many other people I know. Though I've struggled with that in the past, I've even been told "You are a sinner because you don't eat meat." I know this to be false, I am a sinner because of many other reasons but God has made me this way and I give Him praise for making me the unique way He wanted me to be.

Romans 14:3-
 
The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.

Colossians 2:16-
 
[ Freedom From Human Rules ] Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

Romans 14:20-

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

Anyway, my point in all of this is not to defend my feelings toward animals. I know what God has shown me and I trust and believe that He has given me the appropriate perspective concerning animals.

My point in this post is to thank Him for His wonderful mercy and love for me and for Kitty.

He is a good God, always, He is always good. I am more than joyful for what He has done for me and excited about what He will do. He is a wonderful King.

He is merciful in every situation. He sees you and loves you. You can trust Him, He has a plan for you and wants to show you how merciful He is. He will bring you so much joy, so much unending, unspeakable joy.

Thank You King Jesus.




"To the broken and weary, Heaven is reaching. He's there, He's there. Though you can't see it. Take heart, believe it. He's there, He's there."

We are never alone.


-Brit

Monday, January 27, 2014

Whatever it takes.

Walking this life with Christ isn't a life without trials and suffering. In fact, being a follower of Christ guarantees that we will face hardships.

Some of the hardest hardships we may face is that of losing loved ones. This has happened to me and I'm sure it has happened to you at some point as well.
There have been people in my life that have played a significant role in the past, but as God draws me closer to Him, some people no longer play the role they used to. This doesn't mean that love for those people doesn't exist, but that's the hardest thing to explain to someone without them taking it personally. It hurts me that this has happened in my life, however, I realize that there is a much bigger picture, an eternal picture in fact.

If I am to be completely obedient to God and His will, there had to be changes. In this particular case it included the loss of friends from my past life. I can try until I lose the air in my lungs to explain the purpose for the loss but it's not going to be understood. It is now up to the work of God in those lives. It is in His hands and that is the best place for it to be.

My desire is to be the woman God wants me to be, no matter the cost. Losing loved ones or not. Whatever He needs to do, whoever He wants in my life or whoever He no longer wants in my life, that is what I want as well. It is a small sacrifice when I reflect on the sacrifice He has given for me.

I am at a point in my life's journey where I understand that many people will shun me and say horrible things about me because of Jesus. I hope I don't sound boastful about this, I just know the truth of God's Word. He has told us to expect to suffer for His name.

2 Timothy 1:12-

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

1 Peter 3:14-

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

1 Peter 4:16-
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
 
In the past I lived a hypocritical life, I claimed Christ but looked and lived like the world. God has made me new, changed my heart, gave me new desires and a new hope. I no longer wish to look and live like the world. I have found a deep joy in living a life with Christ. He is my life and my hope. Nothing in this world will ever satisfy like Him. 

For some, this is hard to understand and grasp, and for even more they will never know the joy of knowing and living a life completely submitted to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:4-

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


There are many things that are impossible for my human flesh to explain and therefore I give it to God to take care of. He can handle the burden immeasurably more than I can. I thank Him SO much for that! I trust Him completely to take care of all things so that takes a lot pressure off me. I am weak and cannot bear such burdens. The best thing I can do, the best thing all of us can do is to pray, pray, pray. Pray for those that persecute you, pray for your enemies, pray for those that hate you. God loves them and wants them with Him in glory too. 

1 John 4:10
-
 
 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Matthew 5:44 -


But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

I am at peace right now, knowing that 1) God has a plan and He knows better than I. 2) He can soften hardened hearts and change lives of those who are lost. 3) He is in control and I can trust Him completely.

Thank You Father, my King.



"One thing I ask and I would seek, to see You there in front of me. With nothing standing in the way, just me before You unashamed"

Whatever it takes for Him to make me into the person He wants me to be. Whatever it takes for Him to see me blameless.

Ephesians 5:25-27-

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,  and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Emphasis added)

-Brit


Friday, January 24, 2014

Life

Clearly the exciting news was that God brought the opportunity my way to take a trip to Washington DC to join in the Pro-life movement. I learned many things and also gained some more wonderful family!

Hundreds of thousands of people walked the streets in DC to raise awareness that life is a precious gift. Life is a gift from God. Who are we to take it away?

Are we so self-centered that we choose to abort babies because they "interfere" with our self obsessed lifestyle?
Yes. Yes we are. It's no wonder America is going down the tubes, if we don't have respect for the unborn baby why should we respect anything else?
As someone who used to speak boldly about the rights of animals, the experience I had in Washington DC taught me the importance of human rights. (I still care very much so about animals and truly believe God has them here for our enjoyment but it's all about having the right perspective).

If we care so much about saving and respecting animal life, shouldn't we respect human life even more? Every life deserves respect. I love animals and respect their life. God created them and loves them and cares for them. Don't you think He cares for the life of human beings?

Some people don't think life begins at conception or they don't believe an unborn child is a human or a person yet.
This is false.
What do you consider life? Typically for something to be alive it needs to, at the very least be growing. When conception takes place what happens? Something starts to grow.

I could write a lot more on this subject but I'm not trying to start some crazy debate. I'm simply sharing a portion of what I learned on my trip to Washington DC.


I found this photo to be pretty interesting:
Makes you think, doesn't it?

Credit: ineeners.blogspot.com




We need to be protecting the innocent and weak. That's what we are called to do.

Pray to end abortion. Every day.
_______________________________________________

On a bit of a brighter side, I was able to spend time with some amazing people whom I now consider family. It's amazing to me how great God is. All the time! It seems so many things happen when you least expect it. I was a bit nervous to take a trip with basically a bunch of strangers but as it turns out, it's been proven that when you are a Christ follower, you truly are in the family of God. When you meet others in His family they become your brothers and sisters. I made some wonderful friends...ahem, family. I praise my God for that! He is so good!

Patty and I
Family!



Choose life. Choose Christ and you will live life abundantly. Praise Him Alone!



"This is what I believe that if I give you my everything, I will become who I was really born to be. I'll stand up and say it, yeah, Your love is something I can put my faith in."

-Brit

Friday, January 17, 2014

Personal God

The beauty of the Lord is everywhere you look.

I have to admit that much of my time is spent dreaming of my eternal home. I look out the window into the sky and cannot begin to fathom the beauty of my King. He truly does captivate me. It's as if every sunrise, sunset, and starlit night sky is created just for me.

One of my most favorite attributes of God is how personal He is.
He knows us so well that He places things in our path that He knows we will take delight in, many times it's something we don't even realize we love so much.
Personally, I am convinced that every time I look at the sky He painted picture that is only for me. He knows how captured I am by the beauty of it all. The sun bursting above the trees in the evening and the bright colors draped across the sky. The stars flickering through the dark night and shining past the clouds. The contrast of a black bird flying across the soft blue sky without a worry. God cares for even the birds in the air.

Matthew 6:26 -

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

We are, indeed much more valuable to God than the birds or other animals, but He still cares for them.

Another way I know God is a personal God is the fact that He gave me my dog, Mama.
I met Mama when I went to Lakeshore, Mississippi. I had the amazing opportunity to do some work there after Hurricane Katrina.
Mama was a stray, wandering around the Lakeshore Baptist Church property.
When I first arrived to the property I saw her and loved her. God has placed in my heart a certain amount of compassion for animals and I am very thankful for that. He knows I love animals and He knew meeting Mama would change something in me.

Having Mama in my life is a tiny and personal way that God shows me His compassionate love. The way Mama looks at me as if I'm the most important human on the planet reflects the way God looks at me. I know He looks at me, loves me an unfathomable amount and that I am, indeed important to Him. He has not forgotten me and I know He has plans for my future.

It may seem odd to you the way I describe my dog and how I can feel a small amount of God's love because of her but that's what is so wonderful about God. The fact that He is so very personal and knows us so well!

God uses the smile of a newborn, a hug from a new friend, a snowflake on your nose, a shooting star, a bright red sunset, the view from the top of a mountain, a kiss from a child, or the love of a spouse to remind you of how much He deeply loves you.

God knows you so much more than you know yourself. He knows everything about you, all the deepest desires in your heart, all the pain or joy you're feeling. He knows what you want your future to be and He has the best plan in mind for you even though it may not be what you think it should be. All you need to do is trust Him completely. Admit that you've been doing things wrong, you've been trying to find your own happiness and have always come up empty. Tell Him you want Him to lead you to where He wants you to be. Give your life to Him and everything will change. The sky will look bluer, the stars will seem to twinkle more. You may see clouds but you will know there is light behind them and it will always burst past the dark to bring you joy. Rest in Christ's love. He wants to know you personally and show you His beauty and love in ways that only you will recognize. 

Psalm 36:5 - 
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Psalm 62:5 -
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Psalm 66:20 -
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!








My God loves me. And He loves you too! He wants to show you in a deep personal way, just invite Him into your life and He will!

-Brit

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

True Riches

Have you ever been upset when you see someone who does wrong thrive in society? Have you felt angry that the arrogant, wealthy, successful (by worldly standards) seem to prosper and get all that why want with no punishment? I have wondered about this at times as well. But don't get too upset, if you are in Christ, you have much more than they.

Here's a little bit of what God's Word has to say:

Psalm 73:1-28 -


Surely God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
    I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
    with arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”
12 This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,
    and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
    it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
    you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
    completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish;
    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds.

In my NIV Study Bible the footnotes on these verses are as follows:

"Two strong themes wind their way through these verses (1) the wicked prosper, leaving the faithful people wondering why they bother to be good, and (2) the wealth of the wicked looks so inviting that faithful people may wish they could trades places. But these two themes come to unexpected ends, for the wealth of the wicked suddenly loses its power at death and the rewards for the good suddenly take on eternal value. What seemed like wealth is now waste, and what seemed worthless now lasts forever. Don't wish you could trade places with evil people to get their wealth. One day they will wish they could trade places with you and have your eternal wealth.
73:20 - Realize that the rich who put their hope, joy, and confidence in their wealth live in a dreamworld. A dream exists only in the mind of the dreamer. Don't let your life's goals be so unreal that you awaken too late and miss the reality of God's truth. Happiness and hope can be a reality, but only when they are based on God, not on riches. Because reality is in God, we should get as close to Him as we can in order to be realistic about life.
73:23-24 - We have the hope of the resurrection. Though our courage and strength may fail, we know that one day we will be raised to life to serve Him forever. He is our security, and we must cling to Him."


Throughout my few adult years on this earth I have experienced the jealousy of those who have more than me. Whether it is more money, a boyfriend, nicer clothes, a better physical appearance, the list goes on. 

The truth that lies in God and His Word is that none of these things matter if we do not have Christ. We would be better off with nothing that this world has to offer as long as we know Jesus and have a relationship with Him. 

Philippians 3:7-9 -
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.


It may seem crazy to you that having worldly wealth means nothing compared to knowing Jesus but it is the truth.

If you are struggling and wondering why it seems that people who do not know the Lord "have everything" consider what the Bible says. If they never come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, they will be destroyed and in Hell for eternity.

Personally, I'd rather have nothing; no money, no family, no fame, no home...nothing except Jesus. It is all considered rubbish compared to knowing Him who saves us.
However, as a side note, along with knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior, He richly blesses us with many, many wonderful things. So I'm not saying that you should get rid of your family, job, home, etc. Just remember that Jesus is your true treasure.
Matthew 6:21 -


For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.





"
Blind my eyes, I'm looking to heaven, holding all Your promises against my chest. I offer up the life I've been given till my last breath...Your coming is as sure as the sun is rising, here comes the day it's breaking in my heart Your children are running to You."

Look to Christ, remember His promises. He never fails and is with you always. Keep running towards Him to find everything you need. Also remember that His timing is not our timing so do not give up though it can be hard to wait. Be patient. He has a plan.
As one of my most favorite verses and promises says:

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.

-Brit

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Just a second.

In the past, I thought it was okay to walk alongside the world. I thought that if I looked like the world it was fine as long as I didn't actually engage in what they were doing.
This is the best example I can think of:

I would go to a bar and think, well if I just had a glass of water it's okay to go there. Maybe I can talk to someone about God here. That sounds awfully good, doesn't it? But let's face it and be real. That just doesn't happen. We go, think, well I'll just have one drink and just that one drink is okay, I won't get drunk, I can still claim my faith in God and maybe someone will want to know more about Him. Well if you're anything like me, that doesn't happen either. Yes, maybe you have just one drink but what is your conversation really like? I know for me, it had nothing to do with God. The conversations were, instead, about any number of useless things. None of which had a thing to do with how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
In the process, the people around me saw nothing different about me. Nothing that would draw them to God. They saw just another barfly. I don't blame them for thinking that, that's what I was acting like. Whether I had too much to drink or not. I looked like everyone else at the bar. So then, why would anyone be drawn to Jesus when there was no difference between the lifestyle of a believer and the lifestyle of an unbeliever? Not only that, I rarely, if ever, made any claim to know Christ while mingling at the bar. If you are able to share Christ with others while out at a bar then that's all well and good, but it is still a very dangerous situation.

Don't take my word for it, God's Word warns against it!

Psalms 1:1-6 -
Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.(Emphasis added)



I burned my hand yesterday on our wood stove. I was about to stumble over something and realized I had 2 options, fall flat on my face or attempt to catch myself by as quickly as possible putting my hand on the edge of the stove. I did the latter. The process in my brain went something like this : "I know the stove is really hot but maybe if I touch it for just a split second I won't get burned and I won't fall." Well, I didn't fall but I did get a nice burn on my hand. My theory of a "split second" touching something dangerous that could hurt me did not work. After reflecting on that event and talking to God, He reminded me of the dangers of "playing with fire." The dangers of walking in a well..."not-so-godly" way for just a moment, or for just one drink, or just one overnight with my boyfriend, or just one little lie. "It won't hurt anyone and I won't do it again." Or any other number of excuses we use to justify our behavior. We try to convince those around us and even ourselves that our actions are okay and won't hurt others or most importantly, God. We think He will understand, or that walking on the edge of sin isn't really sinning so it must be okay.

No matter how you look at it, the Bible is clear. Yes, we are in this world but if we are in Christ, we are called to make sure we don't look like this world.

John 15:19 -
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

John 17:15-17 -
 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Romans 12:2 -


Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We are not to look like this world. Don't believe the lie that we shouldn't care what people think. In many ways, if we are in Christ, we should care what people think. Because Christ is in us, we should offer a joy and a hope that the world cannot offer. If we look like everyone else, there is no reason for anyone to desire a change in their own life. There would be no reason to desire Christ if He doesn't offer anything more than what the bartender offers.

I invite you to reflect on your behavior. Think about your habits when you aren't in church. Are you showing the TRUE Christ to those around you or are you conforming to the world?

"You gave your life for mine to have me by your side, I won't look back anymore now that I, I am Yours."




-Brit

Monday, January 6, 2014

Joyful single woman seeking Jesus Christ Alone.

When I was younger I told myself that I wanted to be married by the age of 22. That may sound silly or crazy to some of you but it's the truth. The reasoning behind that age is something, perhaps, no one knows about.

When I was a sophomore in high school I had my first "real" boyfriend. I thought I was totally in love. He loved music, played guitar, had a great sense of humor and declared to really love me back.We saw each other at school and would talk for hours after school. Occasionally we could spend time with one another over the weekend when my parents would drive me to his house, that is. Oh it seemed so wonderful. Anyway, getting to my real point (I honestly don't want to be reminiscing about this in too much detail....I barely remember all of it anyway), we went trick-or-treating on Halloween and I remember him suddenly singing this song, out of the blue, that had the lyrics "When, we're 22, I will still love you..." So from that point on, I was convinced I was supposed to be married (to him) when I was 22. Though that relationship didn't work out, I still wanted to be married by 22. It all stemmed from that song he randomly sang to me while walking the streets hoping to collect a bag full of candy.

Now, at 26 I am no where close to being married. There have been moments of time when that bothered me. OK there have been MANY moments when that bothered me. At least it used to.
I've always been a type to pursue a man (first mistake). I would use my womanly charm (c'mon ladies, you know what I mean) the look in your eye, your body language, the way you speak. Don't deny it, we women know how to manipulate and lure men. If you don't know what I'm talking about, well, here's a little insight from Proverbs 7.

Proverbs 7:7-9
-

I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight as the day was fading, as the dark of the night sets in.

Proverbs 7:21-23 -

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into the noose until an arrow pierces his liver. Like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

We know how to entice men. We look for the ones we think may be weak and we pounce. I did so in hopes of convincing one of them to marry me. (Another HUGE mistake) Or at least just pay attention to me for a few months. (Yup, mistake) There was rarely a day that went by where I wasn't sending text messages to one, two, three different boys. (And yet another mistake) All because I wanted to feel pretty and desired. In the process I was just hoping that one of them would turn out to be husband material....I've made many, many, many mistakes when interacting with the opposite sex.

I was so confused and caught up in so many lies of the enemy. So caught up in the pressures that this world puts on everyone.
As I've previously discussed in another post, I believed that the only place to find my worth was in a man. I can't stress enough about how much of a lie I've learned this is.

We cannot expect a man (or woman if you're a man reading this) to be what Christ is supposed to be to us. It just doesn't work. Humans will always fail.

Okay, back to the point of this blog.

Every year after my 22nd birthday I wondered why I wasn't yet married. It saddened me, I really thought I knew the best plan for my life. I wanted to be able to celebrate many many anniversaries so, it seemed the only way to do that was to be married by 22 at most! 

But, as I'm always learning, God has a different plan that is always better.

I think there is way too much pressure put on us unmarried people. Why is it that when talking to new people whether co-workers, or school mates, or yes, even people at church the first few questions include, what do you do for a living and do you have a family. Of course, I know these questions are mainly asked because when you don't know anything about a new person the easiest things to start a conversation with are such questions. But after talking to some single friends and seeing the disappointments they have had and the struggle they have with being single I wonder why there has to be so much pressure on being married.

As you read and some of you know, I have never been the type to be content in my singleness but God has shown me a better way. He has made it clear that my purpose in life is NOT to find a man and get married. My purpose is to glorify Him whether I'm married or single. If you are in Christ, that is your true purpose. To be the person He wants you to be and to be His hands and feet.

Hebrews 13:20-21 -
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
(Emphasis added)

The truth of all this, which God has been making known to me, is that where we are, right now, is exactly where He wants us.
If, at 26 I have to be single to be best used by God, then I'm completely okay with that. He is "equipping me with everything good for doing His will." If God can use me better in my singleness to do His work than I am more than joyful to be single as long has He wills me to be.

May we learn that it is not our life purpose to find a man and get married. Our purpose in this life is to glorify God and Him Alone.

Do not grow weary in your singleness, God sees you, He knows your needs much better than you do. Don't try force someone to marry you because you think your clock is ticking. God is well aware of the timeline of our life and He's not concerned over your age or status. He desires you to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Mark 12:30 -

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.


"All these heavy thoughts will try to weigh you down, but not this time....it's time for you to shine brighter than a shooting star shine no matter where you are."

Shine for Christ. No matter what your status. Shine!

- Brit

Friday, January 3, 2014

Frozen

The thought of being frozen is, clearly, not too pleasant. 

Some of our pipes froze this evening and therefore the water flowing to the bathroom was standing still, enclosed in a cold dark place with not much hope of escape.
In order to get the water flowing again, I had to stand on a table (to reach the pipe) and hold a hot hair dryer towards the place where we assumed the ice was restricting the flow.

While standing there for, well, a while, I talked to God. As I did that, He reminded me of how important it is NOT to be stagnant  in my relationship with Him. By the way, this is the full definition of stagnant as explained by Merriam-Webster: 

a :  not flowing in a current or stream
b :  stale -
stale meaning (from Merriam-Webster): not clean, clear, or pure : having an unpleasant taste or smell
c: not advancing or developing

Interesting definitions, don't you think?

When we become stagnant, when we decide we are "good" with God or that there is nothing more to learn we become stale. Not clean, clear, or pure. When we decide to just sit down and let life pass us by without reaching out to help others by sharing the hope of Jesus with them, what happens?

We lose faith and fall away from God and can no longer effectively share God's love with those around us.

Romans 10:14-15 -

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”"

Jesus calls all of us to share the good news of Him to everyone around us.
If we don't keep moving forward, advancing, or developing our relationship with God, we will become stagnant and stale. How then, can we share His love with others when we are not walking closely with Him, learning, and digging deeper into His heart?

Another thing that God revealed to me while using the warm air to heat the cold pipes was how His Word and communication with Him is the "warm air" we need to keep our relationship with Him flowing and growing. And as I patiently waited for the warmth to melt the ice I thought:

a) How patiently God waits for us to call out to Him. It could take many, many years and yet He still waits with His warm arms open wide.

b) How spiritual growth does indeed take time. It's not something that happens overnight. An infant isn't an infant one night and then the next day a toddler. Over many years, the child grows and becomes mature. Just like our relationship with God, we need to dig deep into His heart by reading His word and spending time alone talking to Him in order to grow spiritually mature. And just as a human matures more and more over years, our relationship with God should never stop growing. We should never be satisfied with where we are in our relationship with Him. There are always new things to learn and new ways He is making us into the person He desires us to be.

Never stop growing, never be satisfied with where you are with God.

If you are struggling with moving forward, ask God to search your heart and reveal what is blocking your way. It could be a hidden sin or a deep pain that has been in your soul since you were young. Perhaps someone betrayed you or did many wrongs against you. Ask God to heal those things. He is faithful and will heal you. Persevere. Then move on as a stronger person knowing that Christ is the One who healed you, set you free, and wants you to be more like Him everyday. He will be delighted that you are calling out to Him. 

Romans 8:26-27 -

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God."

James 1:12 -

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."

[Definition of persevere - continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.]

2 Corinthians 13:5 -

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you -- unless indeed you fail the test?"

The footnotes in my NIV Study Bible explains 2 Cor. 13:5 further -

The Corinthians were called to examine and test themselves to see if they really were Christians. Just as we get physical check-ups, Paul urges us to give ourselves spiritual check-ups. We should look for a growing awareness of Christ's presence and power in our lives. Only then will we know if we are truly Christians or merely imposters. If we're not taking active steps to grow closer to God, we are drawing further away from Him. (Emphasis added) 
`I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. `So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. `Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Complacency#sthash.fTVeu9M8.dpuf
`I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. `So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. `Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Complacency#sthash.fTVeu9M8.dpuf


The Christian life is work. Living in this world, for me, can be very difficult. There are so many worldly distractions all around us. Whether it's entertainment, money, fame, beauty - there are hundreds of things that can keep us away from growing closer to God. That's exactly where satan wants us to be so he can grab a hold of us and convince us that God is no longer listening and no longer cares.Satan wants us to feel like we are in a cold dark place with no hope of escape.

Being complacent is very dangerous place to be. Do not grow weary in your faith, God is with us always, He is listening and He cares. He hasn't abandoned you.

He is waiting for you.  

Jesus will meet you where you're at, right now, and if you ask Him to forgive you and that you want to live for Him, He will gladly guide you and keep you close to Him. Don't give up, keep moving forward. There is a lot of work to do here on this earth.

Read God's Word and talk to Him. Let the warmth of His love melt the frozen places in your heart that are restricting growth.


"With hope locked in and my future sure, my life has a cause worth fighting for. My soul exists to know Your Name."

Strive to know Christ more. Seek Him, draw near to Him. And fall more and more in love with Him.

-Brit

PS. The pipes are no longer frozen and the water in the bathroom is flowing once more.


Rise up, you women who are at ease, And hear my voice; Give ear to my word, You complacent daughters. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Complacency#sthash.fTVeu9M8.dpuf

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Be real.

Be real.


Yesterday my car got new snow tires put on. What a great blessing! Apparently while the car was up on the lift, the mechanic found another problem that I was unaware of. The tie rod was in very rough shape. I had heard some odd noises while driving but didn't really think much of it. (My car makes many odd noises) However, I was told that my car was really unsafe to drive in the condition it was in. So I told the mechanic to go ahead and fix the problem.


After reflecting on this it made me think about how we so often look "pretty good" on the outside but inside our condition is sinful and there are things we have not given over to God so He can fix us. 

In the past, I have made attempts to "look" like a Christ follower. I would go to church most of the time, talk to the folks there and act happy and try to make them believe I was "good" with God. All the while, inside I was harboring secrets of what I have really been doing. I hoped they wouldn't find out that I was lying to them. I was convinced that my lifestyle was okay and honestly, I just didn't think about what God thought.
Inside, where not many people can see, I needed to be fixed. The things I had done would only be hidden for so long. I could only "look" like a Christian for so long until I grew weary of all the work that was involved in doing that. Either I would truly turn back to Christ or give myself over to all the ways of the world, stop going to church, and keep away from all the people I had to "act Christian" in front of. For a while I chose the latter and lived a separate life that few people knew anything about. I even went as far as to adjust the privacy settings on my facebook profile to hide the pictures and statuses that exposed my wild lifestyle from the Christian people in my life.

I was hiding the dangerous and "unsafe to drive" things in my life that could potentially lead to a life threatening accident while trying to appear "safe to drive" and secure in Christ.

2 Timothy 3:9 reads:
But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Paul (the author of 2 Timothy) is referring to the Godlessness of people in the last days. So he is warning us to keep away from the folly (lack of good sense; foolishness; wicked or lewd behavior) of such people.

In my New International Version Study Bible there is a footnote explaining this scripture further.

It reads - We can hide our sin for a while, but eventually the truth will be revealed. Sooner or later, distraction, opposition, anger, or fatigue will wear us down, and our true hearts will be exposed. The trials of life will conspire against our efforts to maintain a religious front. We can't pick when and where we will be tested by adversity. Build your character carefully because it will come out under stress. Live each day as if your actions will one day be known to everyone. It is useless, in the middle of a test, to acknowledge that you should have prepared. Now is the time to change anything you wouldn't want revealed later.  (Emphasis added)

Let us not just say we are Christ followers and attempt to keep sin hidden while inside we know we are living in a way that is not pleasing to God. May we live in such a way that whether we are alone or in a crowd of people the claims we make mirror our true heart.

If you are struggling with something you know is not pleasing to God, be honest with Him. Talk to Him about it and ask Him to help you change that area of your life. He will help and forgive you.

There is no better day to begin a new, changed life than today. While people are making resolutions to change diets and exercise, choose to change your spiritual life. Though taking care of our bodies is also important, it is no where near as important as securing your eternal life.

1 Timothy 4:8:
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Psalm 94:17-19: Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. 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.

God loves you, He is good and wants what's best for you. Invite Him into your life to change you. You will be surprised at how much more fulfilling your life will become.


                         "Let's begin the climb, up this holy mountain where Your Glory shines."


-Brit