The Little Things

I love when God uses the little things. A friend recently sent me an email which was signed “Hidden with Christ in God Col.3:3” I am not even sure why, but a sudden curiosity came over me to look up the verse; which caused me to keep reading, and just be touched and convicted by this letter from Paul.  At first it was just a conviction of the old self that I seem to slip back on so easily, and my desire for my life to be hidden with Christ in God. I began looking at the ways I continue to put on my old self. How I am so selfish, and how that keeps me from truly caring about the needs of others. I then began thinking about my floor, and how I want and need to really care about the girls on my floor. And then verse 14 came, which says, “And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Which is crazy, since that is exactly what I want for my floor. I want to help foster a community bonded in harmony and growth in God.  Then as I thought about how to go about this, I began to realize how I really should start praying for them more. How prayers connect us, and how praying for them would help me more truly care for them. And then as I look over I saw highlighted in my bible over in chapter 4:2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” And then a little further down in verse 5, the words, “… making the best use of the time”

God has given me this great opportunity to be a leader on a floor of almost 40 girls, and so I want to make the best use of my time here with them. Paul in the verses before he states that asks for prayer that God would open the door for him to declare Christ to others. My friends, I ask that you would pray a similar prayer for me. Pray that God would prepare me and the present open doors for me to be the sister in Christ those around me need. Pray that I wouldn’t waste this great opportunity to be in daily fellowship with my sisters. Pray that I would walk in love, and never forget the power of prayer. Pray that this year; my life would truly be hidden in Christ in God. 

My re-awaking to a fearless love

I love true love. And while I am a fan of fairytales and happily ever afters, I don’t mean true love in that sense, but rather this 1 john 4 love that I based this blog around. I know it’s been months since I’ve written last, but a re-awaking to this pursuit to love fearlessly has urged me to write again. I am beyond grateful for the heart God has given me, but as I am lead through new journeys with Him I am seeing how lately He really has been showing me what it means to love fearlessly. I always knew that loving others could bring pain. And while I knew that feeling their pain would cause pain in my heart too, I mostly thought of how I didn’t want to be afraid to love others because of the pain of rejection they might bring. God however, has been showing me the immense pain one can feel from feeling the hurt of others. The fears of seeing those you love in pain and being helpless. The pain of loving someone, but seeing them view themselves so lowly, or in a hopeless despair. And so lately God has been showing me not to fear the pain the heart can feel. Yes its suffering, but its suffering He knows well, and is now letting me share with Him. He’s letting me see and feel glimpses of the depth of love He felt for us. A love so deep that He sweat blood at Gethsemane and then later gave up His life for.

 

There is so much pain in this world, but there is also love and hope, and I want to help bring it. Only I am now realizing that in order to truly bring that hope and love, I have to be willing to see and truly feel the pain that is in need of the love. And so as I start off another year, my hope is to truly be able to love those around me fearlessly. To see their hurt for what it is, and then let God use me to bring them the comfort, encouragement, and prayer they need. We sang this song in church and it is what reminded me that I need to dedicate my heart and all that it feels to Him and His will for me and those all around me. My heart belongs to Him, and it is because of that, that I will be able to love fearlessly.

All My Love

You made a way for me

To come to your mercy seat

Your death has opened up the door

Now that the veil has been torn

My broken life is restored

Your precious blood has washed me clean

                All my love is yours, all of my affection

                All my heart belongs to the lord most high

One thing I ask and seek

To gaze upon your beauty

To dwell in your house forever more

For my body longs for you

More than for drink or food

My soul thirsts for the living God

All of my heart and my soul

All of my strength is yours

All of my hopes and my dreams

I give to you my king

 All of my plans and my ways

I lay them down and say

All of my love is yours