"I do not pray for success, 
I ask for faithfulness." - Mother Teresa

just want to know Your heart tonight

I was just invited to a AACM gingerbread building event.  A sense of overwhelming numbers of people I'll be strangers to flooded my mind as a bit of anxiousness crept into my heart.  A good friend I had just met invited me to go and the event in itself at first glance had caught my eye. I wanted to go because of her but I immediately thought about the deep friendships people already have- who am I to think that I had a chance to catch up?   But perhaps this is exactly why deep down I want to go- to know the depths and the length people had gone to love one another.  To catch a glimpse of this unconditional love Jesus Himself had once prayed that we would have.  Maybe it's there?  We never know who at the exact moment needs it.  But perhaps the reality of it is that we all need it.  I want to become part of a church where people can be certain that they will find grace and open arms in any church body.  We were made to carry the certainty of adoption into  his family everywhere we go.  How precious is the flow that makes us white as snow!

Somehow, the Lord gave me confidence to join them.  He told me this is exactly how I feel about you. About those around you.  Because of My love for you, I'd go far, even to a place where people won't recognize me, won't care what I care about, won't take me seriously, and will even persecute me.  Why are you afraid to go to an outing event? Though you won't know all of them, you're not even going to be persecuted.  Because of My love for you, I went, lived, died, and rose again.  I was certain that My Father's love for Me can be grasped by you- with My help.  And even when you go to places where you will be persecuted, remember, I still always go before you.

He told me to go for that one person that invited you that you love.  You are now able to, with the confidence I just gave you because I loved first.   You are free and empowered to love because I loved them first.  Because He went for the people he loved.

So instead of asking who am I to think that I had a chance to catch up with aacm people, with all the miracles, breakthroughs, and growth- I found myself in awe of that fact that not only it's completely okay to join them, but I've been adopted to the family of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The great Shepherd, King, and Counselor.

The question that remains is this:  what will I do with a love like this?

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Yeap- gingerbread house building.  Lord, you deserve every thought and every word.  May you be loved this Friday night, the days leading up to it, and the days following after. :)

the past few days when i wake up or whenever i would return to the apartment, "Your grace is enough" would start playing in my head like someone had just turned it on and I'd be singing along to it for the next few hours.  whenever the Lord brings up a song multiple times, we have got to pay attention and actually spend time to think about it.  His heart is too personal to just give you a song or an encounter just for the sake of itself!


to really live is realize this life we've been given!  it's us missing Jesus and longing for His return that we want to see and do anything that would represent him.  He is sweeter than wine!

it's always about a heart that's willing to be still and learn!  this is what He asks of us- so let this be what we give cheerfully :)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—PUT. IT. INTO. PRACTICE. And the God of peace will be with you. phil 4:8-9


fruit comes when we put into practice what we ponder upon!  

good heart check this morning as I was asked by Facebook's status box a simple question.  Seemed like the Lord was the one that was asking me though.

What is on your mind?

I consequently skimmed through my previous posts to figure out if my previous posts reflect that i was thinking about God.  and i have to tell you,  my heart was so happy to feel his delight as I can honestly say that it is Him. :)

#keepyoureyesonthePrize 

in the midst of temptations and trials this is what God finds faultless and blameless: to care for the orphans and widows. wow. hello.

i still do photography.  people say if its fantastic or not.  but the only opinion or truth that matters is that i've obeyed my calling because He was the one that called me to answer it.

we have to be careful with our calling and take it seriously because your calling is probably someone else's prayer.  not that we're to live our lives according to others' needs- we are to tend to the Lord's will. by this is talking about being one body and one church family.  someone once prayed for a shepherd, for someone to be there for them to listen when they feel alone. this is why we need to be on our guard.  to lay down ourselves and be filled with grace and our speech seasoned with salt.  the Lord's heart never stops caring for all people.  the Lord always desires that his people would know him and be set free- so we, those who know him just gotta be ready to be his hands and feet.  there's not really an excuse- if you're not ready just get ready then you'll be ready! and remember- there is always grace.

we need to see how prayer and our lives are connected. our people's prayers.

blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

the pure only see one thing. looks at one thing and see it as it is.  so look at God and see him as who he is.  then you will realize he has set everything straight for you already. it's us that need the extra nudge often to be directed to walk the right way.

purify our hearts God, because out of it we speak. He knows a word before one comes out of our tongue because he's kept watch over our hearts since the beginning.  

Teach us how to pray.

there are 3 absolutely incredible things that happen every time we conclude our prayers...

 the mention of His name.   this is the name at which every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth. (phil 2:10)  First i can imagine the angels ravished by the sound of Jesus's name.

then right between "In Jesus's name," and "Amen."

there's just something in the heavens that move in between.  i imagine like these angels that have always worshiped God ready to do carry out God's will. always listening always worshiping always ready. 

then the Lord does something at the sound of Amen.

In Jesus's name, all of that which we have said or thought prior to this, let it be so.

everything is done through Him, by Him, and for Him.

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So God, teach us how to pray.  because it's about what's outside of our own lives and own needs. it's about their needs. when we're all about others. then we'll take care of one another.

In Jesus's name,

we pray for the sick,  we hope for His return, we believe in His goodness, we care for the orphans, we listen to those who speak out against us, we speak to those who have not heard, we teach those who are hungry, we humble ourselves for those who thirst, we raise up the feeble, we cry with those who are hurting, we dance in the midst of suffering, we eat and drink for the glory of the Lord, we run after the fatherless, we embrace the widows, we love our enemies,

Amen.

don't grow weary of having to make decisions- it's in those subtle, yet critical times we get to love Him all the more.
Sometimes obedience is hard because it will come down to every decision you chose to make. but this is exactly our joy!- that we get to love God every time we make a decision :)

it is so beautiful when we realize we can glorify him in every decision we get to make. and love him with every decision. and honor him with every decision.
that we get to not just love God, but love God with all our soul, our mind, and our strength. i want to grow until that is the only way i love!

Obedience is key. Goodness is when he is near. This isn't blind obedience! Obedience always leads to His peace.

sometimes trust just means taking one look at God, nod, and follow.

there are no orphans in Your presence

2 peter 1:11

Just the thought of this rich welcome... I cannot even fathom.  Help me make every effort to add to my faith.

the goodness of God is so grand.... He counted the cost and loves  ...He knows that day when we will doubt His goodness.  When we question Him even, after we've known him. When our confidence in Him is shakened.  He is still there.  How much more we need constantly lean!  Learn to lean by leaning!
He knows that day when we find ourselves no longer captivated by the things He has created for you because of the weight of our trials- but only for a while.  His mercy is anew and at hand!  He knows of that day when we get angry at him, where we get frustrated at him.  He also knows that day where your heart will be broken for all sorts of reasons.  Reasons that hurt him to see us hurt. There will be a day when all we want is to run away with him and he will tell us to stay and be still.  That we must stay because we need Him to be the one to move us.

but this is Jesus we're talking about it.  And one thing we can be sure of: He will be there through the valleys.

"It's better to walk through the fire with Jesus than to take long strolls on the beach without Him."

how are we making friends for the Bridegroom today??

--
so thankful that You renew my heart by giving me more of Yours!
#orphans and widows