Never stop smiling!

Let the love of the Lord shine through your every day actions! (:

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Being ready.

This morning I was reading The Divine Mentor, by Wayne Cordeiro, a book we're going through as part of our youth Bible study. I really enjoy this book so far because it will tell a story, and then relate it to the Bible, really putting things in perspective (:

In the first chapter, Cordeiro tells the story of Martha and Mary waiting for Jesus to come visit them in their home. He imagines how Martha and Mary were probably scurrying about their house, making sure everything was in order and prepared for their friend and Lord to come visit them. When He arrives, Mary instantly puts down all her chores and tasks and just falls to the feet of her King to worship Him and hear all that He has to say, while Martha continues cleaning, and cooking, and working to make sure everything is finished. Martha becomes frustrated with the fact that while she continues working her butt off, her sister is just sitting? That hardly seems fair. When Martha comes to Jesus and says "Lord, this is unfair that she isn't doing anything, tell her to come help me", Jesus replies to Martha: "Martha, you are worried about so many things, when only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the good part." 
(Luke 10:38-42)
Mary has chosen the good part.. she understands that while it is important to do things in order to prepare for the Lord, once He gets there, it doesn't matter anymore.

While it is necessary to do things FOR God, all things are second TO God and our time with Him. 
 This makes me think of any time Kalli and I are having friends over, we too are getting things ready, cleaning, and doing laundry.. wanting everything to look okay for our guests. I can't imagine how I would feel getting ready for JESUS to come visit me.. would He play Dance Central with me on my Xbox Kinect? I would be running around the house, sweeping, and vacuuming, and doing laundry. Sweeping away the cobwebs and vacuuming the dirt and dust that makes me unclean, letting Him wash the sin from my heart so I can be dressed in righteousness. But when we don't know when He is coming.. we have to be ready all the time. So if Jesus was coming over tonight at 8:00 to carve pumpkins with me.. is my heart ready? Am I dressed in righteousness, and am I ready to put down everything I'm doing to just sit at His feet and learn? (lucky for me, I cleaned today). 
In a similar way, the worries and stresses of each day should be dropped immediately so that we can come sit at the feet of our King and He will reward us saying "You have chosen the good part, the one necessary part of your day, not the worrying and bothering of the things of the world."
Thought number two:
Beer with Jesus, by Thomas Rhett. 
I think Jesus would be super good at Beer Pong.. 


Whether its sitting at the feet of the Lord like Martha, or taking time to have a beer with Jesus, I don't think He really minds either way.. as long as He gets some time to sit and be with you. 






Monday, February 13, 2012

Divine Romance

Oh how we all long for a romance.. a romance to just be swept up off our feet, saved by the hero, be adored.. 
How many of us are living that life?
Relationships are complicated, painful, treacherous. 
So why gamble on unreliable men when you have a sure bet your heart will be safe with Jesus? He LONGS even more than you to have a romance with you. He wants that full on, risk taking, adoring relationship that you won't find from any other guy. 
He wants intimacy with you, honesty, absolute truth. 
He wants you to tell him your deepest darkest secrets.. He already knows them, but He wants you to share them with Him anyway. 

He hates it when you cry, but He still listens. He hears our cries (Exodus 3:7, Deuteronomy 26:7)

You never leave His hands. 
He holds you so tightly. (Psalm 63:8)

He heals your broken heart, your open wounds, and turns your weaknesses into strengths. 
Psalm 34:18: The Lord is near those with broken hearts, he delivers those who are discouraged. 

He cries when you cry. 


Madly in love with you. Isn't that what we're all asking for?
Then why don't we reach out to Him and take what He's offering?

If you're weak, He'll give you strength.
If you're scared, He'll give you courage.
If you're broken, He will rebuild you.