stillness

do you ever feel like just laying down in the battle? do you ever feel like just rolling over and dieing because you're tired of fighting?

"You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you."

as i read these verses the other afternoon i was once again reminded that sometimes i try WAY to hard! God's saying... hey! hold up! stand still and watch what I can do! sounds so easy doesn't it?!?! the truth is... IT IS! we as humans just make life so difficult and in the end IT IS so hard.

the last month i thought i knew. doors that where so open and inviting and screaming my name telling me to come walk through. but then (it seemed) at the most inopportune time the door goes slamming shut in my face.

i struggle with thoughts such as why did God open a door just to close it? why does it seem that everything i've ever dreamed of isn't what God wants for me? what He wants for me is something that's going to be totally opposite of what i ever dreamed of?

even though i struggle with such thoughts, deep down i know He's the author of my story and in His own time it will all be so clear and BEAUTIFUL!

until then...

I'm waiting

I'm waiting on you Lord

And i am hopeful

I'm waiting on you Lord

Though it is painful

But patiently I will wait

I will move ahead bold and confident

Taking every step in obedience

While I'm waiting

I will serve you

While I'm waiting

I will worship

While I'm waiting

I will not faint

I'll be running the race

Even while I wait

I'm waiting

I'm waiting on you Lord

And I am peaceful

I'm waiting on you Lord

Though it's not easy

But faithfully i will wait.

There strength is to sit still! Is. 30:7

The case of the missing eggs

Ok... so last night I was craving hard boiled eggs so badly, that i boiled four of them for my lunch today. After I had let them cook I cooled them down, neatly put them in the fridge, I went to bed happy knowing that I would feast on eggs the next day.

This morning i hurried around, got dressed did my hair, packed my gym bag, and ran downstairs to put my lunch bucket together. I opened the fridge and to my utter dismay the eggs where GONE! I automatically shrieked and blamed Dad seeing he was the only one who was already out of the house. Of course mom tried to reassure me that Dad wouldn't steal my eggs but in my mind he wasn't innocent until another party was proven guilty.

It may be hard to believe, I know... it seems silly, I know... but... i let it ruin my morning. I let it steal my joy. You see a lot of times we let the little things in life bother us. (At least in my case) When Chris hit a deer with my car it hardly even fazed me. Yes i was sad, but i didn't let it ruin my week. I mean Chris was alive and well and I still had all my family. Life could be worse.

Later this morning Dad text me and proved his innocents. He said a fox broke in last night and thought he was probably the culprit. ;) I was quickly convicted of my bad attitude and told him I was sorry.

So what foxes are stealing your joy today?

An Example

Often times i look for the big ways that i can shine Jesus's light to others. A few days ago my brother and his friend showed me, without even trying that it's the small things that make the difference.

Since Basketball season is over my brothers and there buddies have been going to the park to play with some of the rougher teenagers of Washington. Kids who's parents could care less where they are, kids who have step parents, half brothers and sisters, kids who look tough on the outside yet are so broken and hurt on the inside, kids who need examples, kids who need love, kids who need Jesus!

On Friday night, I was watching them play ball. Some of the guys where giving the boys a hard time about being christian/ country boys. So the next time the boys went to the park Tim wore a John Deer shirt and Jess wore a shirt with big bright colored letters that read, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Such a little thing... Yet heaven only knows what kind of a lasting impact that will leave on those teenagers. An example to me of not buckling under peer pressure, standing up for what's right, and letting my light shine in the little things.

Thanks Guys!

Smile

Shine,

make them wonder what you got...

make them wish that they were not...

on the outside looking in!

Worship

"When you have reason to be hurt and discouraged, yet sing with thanksgiving, this is true worship to God!'