Sunday, February 22, 2015

Beautiful Things - Gungor Lyric Video



I did something I didn't know if I would ever do this week-end. Let me rewind a bit...

3 years ago I stepped out of my comfort zone and began to host a community group in my home.  I loved doing it.  I LOVED having people into my home for fellowship and getting into God's word. We were a part of a leadership team for our church and it was amazing the way God put a group of people together and how intimately we "lived life together."

Last year, when life changed, I never thought I would want to have people into my home. I didn't know if I wanted to let anyone else into "my mess".  Looking back, I see how selfish it was to isolate and only let a very few people into my comfort zone.   But then I began to feel something stir inside of me.  I began talking with a girl friend about ladies ministry at church.  We talked about a craft night, game night, breakfast on Saturday mornings, and so much more.  We had good ideas and lofty plans.  But like most loftly ideas, they fell by the waste side.  Its been at least 4 months since we started brainstorming and we haven't done one little thing.  This week I really felt called to be in relationship with others.


  • Friday night, a couple from that first community group joined us at home for a meal.  Pizza, salad and pound cake was all it took to make this crew happy.  The fellowship was amazing and hearing how God was working in their lives is nothing short of a blessing.  
  • Saturday, we visited some very dear friends who are going through some health stuff.  We sat in their home and sipped hot chocolate and played "catch up" on their lives.   
  • Saturday night, I invited about 10 women from church to come over just to "hang out".  In reality my house had 3 women and 4 teen aged girls just spending time together.  In the midst of "breaking bread together" we watched "life happen".  Watching my daughter with her friends touched this mama's heart to say the least.  BUT listening to the stories of my girl friends was nothing short of a miracle.  
Life happens- struggling marriages; raising preschool children; parenting teenagers; way too busy schedules; not finding time for "fun", Life happens.  It can be sticky, yucky, and uncomfortable.  It can also be joyous, triumphant and full of surprises.  This song reminds me that God makes our lives richer.  Through the pain and struggle comes beauty.  His hand is at work in all of it.  

8x10in Jeremiah Scripture Illustration by unraveleddesign on Etsy

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Mac Powell (Third Day) - Films and Music Inspired by THE STORY "When Lov...




Tell me your story, show me your wounds
and I'll show you what love sees when love looks at you.
Hand me the pieces, broken and bruised
and I'll show you what love sees when love sees you.

I see your story.  I see my name.
written on every beautiful page.
You see the struggle.  You see the shame.
I see the reason I came.

I came for your story.  I came for your wounds.
to show you what love sees when I see you.

 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

What a wonderful thought on this ice covered Wed morning.  "Blessed", he calls to me just as He did to the lepers, to the blind, the demon posessed, the broken hearted.  He loves me the same.  It's not finished.  I don't have to wonder or worry about how the events of my life are playing out.  I don't see the big picture.  But He does:


I see what I made in your mother's womb
 and I see the day I fell in love with you  
I see your tomorrows, nothing left to chance  
I see my Father's fingerprints. 

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Overwhelmed by Big Daddy Weave lyrics



Week 2 of Lord Change my Attitude by James McDonald is about changing your complaining, murmuring, grumbling spirit into one of thankfulness.  No other song demonstrates God's desire for us to find thankfulness in everyday life.  McDonald says that even if God did nothing beyond the cross, we still have something to celebrate.  That has remained with me during this week.

God gave the ultimate gift, his son, Jesus, to cover our sins.  
He gave us creation as a demonstration of His power.
He gave us his word to speak directly to our hearts.
He gives us a glimpse of his glory as we experience him 
day after day after day.

"Father God, I pray that I will see your glory.  I pray that I will be stirred to praise you even when I don't understand your reasoning.  Thank you for showing me your glory, your holiness and your power everyday.  Help me to see the big provisions and the little ones that I am often miss because I am too busy. Thank you.  Thank you. Thank you."

Jeremy Camp - He Knows (Acoustic)




I am a "glass half empty" kind of girl.  Call it what you want, and place the blame on anyone or anywhere... I just tend to see the negative in a situation.  It can be debilitating at times.  It is in those times, of negativity, of self pity and of depression that I see my thoughts change from the blessings of God to the ugly mindset of "woe is me" and it affects those I love the most.  Complaining is not attractive to anyone and how many times do I complain about people who complain because they fail to see how God is working in their lives?

I am currently doing a Bible study with a group of ladies from church.  "Lord Change my Attitude" by James McDonald.  It delves into attitudes that we have that aren't as attractive to those around us but even more convicting those attitudes that turn our hearts away from God and onto the idols of ourselves.  Guess what the first topic was... you guessed it... complaining.

We are looking at the Israelites in the desert where they complain... A LOT.  They complain because they are hungry.  They complain because they are thirsty.  They whine because they want meat instead of manna.  Whine, whine, whine.  God gets tired of their whining and complaining and in the end there is a consequence for that attitude of complaining.  The older generation do not get to see the Promised Land.  He causes them to wander around the desert for years and finally He allows the children to enter that land.

As I go through this study, I see my negative spirit, my complaining attitude and where it rears its ugly head.  One of the activities is to ask God to reveal insights in our life about complaining attitudes.  So here goes... here is my take away... here it is word for word what I learned on this day....
I complain... a lot.  I don't realize it when it is clothed in sarcasm or as a joke but it is still grumbling/ complaining.  God has provided a new life for us apart from the trials of the past year yet I get bogged down in the past.  I believe God is faithful and good and I have really experienced in the last year.  I tend to be a sarcastic complainer when I feel the loss of control and when I am trying to "fit in" but I know those aren't effective.  It takes a piece of my security in Christ when I place my identity in anything other than Him.  Complaining and gossiping go hand in hand in my life and I need to be more aware of how words I say as well as complaining in my spirit which serves as self pity.  Wow this is a big challenge to work on. I will need moment by moment wisdom as well as accountability from loved ones to see this in myself.  
As I listened to this song on the radio, it reminded me that He already knows my situation.  He knows my burden, he knows my suffering, he knows how much my heart aches... why do I feel the need to grumble and complain?  He's been there, He's walked this road, He is there.  He is walking this road with me.

"God help me to put my hope in you and not focus on the negative.  Rather help me to focus on the fact that you know it all.  You've got this covered.  Like you provided for the Israelites, you provide for me."