Joyful in Hope

Sometimes trials are like beet tops.

2012-02-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

I still remember the shivery feelings that came to me as a child when I looked down at the cooked beat tops sitting on my plate.

I didn't like them. Actually, I really didn't like them.

"Mom," I would ask, "why do I have to eat these?"

"Because I love you."

That was my mom's ever ready response, leaving me wondering if she could possibly stop loving me for a few moments so I could get out of eating this bitter green stuff.

Those beet tops were there for my good and health. That's why my parents, who loved me, placed them on my plate.

I believe that the relationship of parents and their children is an image of Christ and His children. Our Heavenly father places trials on His children's plates.

Why?

Because He loves us.

Trials grow us strong. Out of true love, the Lord, (just like our parents), will not allow us to gorge on ice cream and cream puffs the rest of our days.

Beet top moments grow us in ways that mountain top experiences never could.

Knowing this, we can face trails (and yes, beet tops) with joy. We are loved. And so we have trials, so that we "...may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." {James 1:4b}

My fingers and His hand.

2012-02-08T07:46:00.000-08:00

"That might sound boring, but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."

-Russel in the film Up

I remember twirling around in the kitchen when I was younger waiting for supper to heat up on the stove thinking, It seems like it will be forever until I will be in my twenties.

The "forever" has happened and I'm in my twenties. So much has happened from then to now.

Time moves. Moments flee.

God's hand is in everything, and I don't want to forget His story in my life.

I need to write and record. I believe it's Biblical. But I talk myself out of it.

It's ridiculous because my delay is based on false fear. So I'll step out in faith.

No matter how ordered or un-ordered my thoughts are on any given day, or how many books on writing I feel I need to read before I can write - I need to write.

I realize that I'm not a sixty or eighty year old Titus 2 woman, but I'm headed in that direction, and it's beautiful that I can practice right now... :-) Because in a few more "forevers" I'll be there. ;-)

This life is filled with God's grace. God's hand is working. And I feel called to use my fingers for typing what His hand has done.

...through the lens of God's providence...

2012-02-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

Recently my family and I watched Normandy: A Final Farewell. It shares glimpses of the lives of a few men who fought in WWII. I was inspired. I really appreciate how Mr. Phillips honors these men.

Here's a favorite quote of mine from the ending of the documentary:

"See all things through the lens of God's providence and mercy and you'll raise up a very grateful, generous, and honoring generation of children."

~Doug Phillips

Give me one pure and holy passion...

2012-01-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

While doing a book study with a friend via email, my friend sent me a link to this song.
I love it!
May this desire ever be true in our lives. :)

"Give me one pure and holy passion

Give me one magnificent obsession

Give me one glorious ambition for my life

To know and follow hard after You

To grow as Your disciple in Your truth

This world is empty, pale, and poor

Compared to knowing you my Lord

Lead me on and I will run after You."

Diligence.

2012-01-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

by Ana Wolf

Near the end of 2011, I sat at my desk, endeavoring to tackle one of my many reading assignments. Feeling overwhelmed with the many things I’d love to accomplish in the year ahead, this verse rang through my mind : “…diligence is man’s precious possession.” Proverbs 12:27b (I love it when the Lord’s words come to me at times when I’m struggling, giving me guidance and renewed focus!)

Some days Mr. Lazy likes to come for a visit, especially in moments of tiredness, talking me out of a virtue that the Lord commends in Scripture, such as diligence. Oh, how easy it is to be inspired, but lack the diligence to see a hard project or goal through to its completion.

The other day as I read Proverbs 31, it hit me how replete the description of the Proverbs 31 woman is with active verbs indicating that this woman is not sitting around in laziness. “She seeks wool and flax, she willingly works with her hands."; "she brings her food from afar"; "she rises while it is yet night"; she provides, considers, girds; "strengthens her arms"; she perceives; "stretches out her hands"; "her hand holds"; she extends her hand to the poor; "she reaches out her hands to the needy"; "she makes tapestry"; "she opens her mouth with wisdom"; and "she watches over" her household.

Or simply said, she's diligent and active.

Most things worth doing are hard, but they are worth doing with diligence.

We may want to give up, drop the pen, log onto facebook, close the book, wander around the house - but instead of following laziness, let us pursue a life of diligence and hard work. Let us seek out projects and willingly work with our hands, just like the Proverbs 31 woman.

And, hey, in the process you may just inspire an onlooker to dust off those books and to tackle a hard thing. I know from personal experience that diligent people are inspiring. :-) Though our first and foremost reason to be diligent is to please our Heavenly Father as we use this "precious possession".

Give unto others freely...

2012-01-13T08:35:00.000-08:00

"There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet."
~Acts 4:34-37

Last weekend as I talked with a friend of mine she encouraged me by sharing something the Lord showed her in her Bible reading that morning.

Later that day she wrote it out, and gave me permission to share it. :-)

"This morning as I was reading in Acts, the last two verses in chapter 4 really struck me. This man named Joseph had sold one of his fields (in those days fields were very valuable and important for the families to live on) and gave the money to the apostles so that they could give to those who had need.

This act of putting other's needs and interests ahead of his own and being willing to give up something that he would benefit from, was very humbling to me. It showed that nothing really belonged to him, but to God. And by giving to those who have need, he was giving to the Lord.

I had to ask my self, what am I willing to give up? Am I losing anything by giving up of my time to serve others in whatever way they have need? (Philippians 3:8)

I know often we get so caught up with life and our agendas, that we are not aware of the needs of those around us. We think far too much of ourselves. I believe that God wants more of us to think selflessly. We lose nothing by being in the service of our Lord, instead we gain a deeper love for Him and a desire to give unto others freely (including our time)."
~Sarah N.

~Hope in God~

2012-01-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

"Holy women hope in God. A Christian woman does not put her hope in her husband, or getting one....she laughs at what is to come because she hopes in a sovereign God because she knows He will be with her no matter what...this hope in God yields fearlessness because she rests in Him."

-John Piper-

Where do we find our pleasure?

2011-12-31T12:12:00.000-08:00

This {video} is a wonderful reminder, from Mrs. Noel Piper, to make sure we find our pleasure in God alone. =)

"We can take pleasure in God, because God takes such pleasure in Himself. And then, from that comes His pleasure in all of His good works, which would be all of creation. But if we short-cut that, and are going after the pleasure in God's creation, then that becomes idolatry. And every creation of ours, no matter how glorious it is, is just a small reflection of God's creative glory...."

~Noel Piper

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T20:27:00.000-08:00

Since it's Christmas day, I wanted to post this quote which I found while reading the Bravehearted Gospel by Eric Ludy last month.

It's an excellent reminder of how our Savior lived His life on this earth. May we seek to follow in His footsteps, to die to ourselves daily, and live a life of humble service ~ which is true greatness! :-)

"What does it mean when the God of the Ages chooses to come to earth as a baby in a manger instead of a prince in a palace? The thought boggles the mind. It staggers me to think that the High and Holy One of Heaven chose to be born of a virgin, which for all practical purposes brought Him into this world looking like an illegitimate child. He chose to be born in Nazareth, of which it was said, no good thing can come out of. It shames my ego, which is consistently clamoring for more, to know that the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills chose poverty instead of wealth. The Famous One chose obscurity over popularity, and the Almighty chose weakness in place of strength. He came as a servant instead of a king. He entered Jerusalem on a donkey instead of on a stallion. He commanded a small band of uneducated fishermen and others instead of wielding a scepter over legions of angels. And last, but not least, He died the death of a condemned criminal, stripped naked between two thieves, so that I could breath the fresh air of freedom."

~True beauty~

2011-12-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

"True beauty, in a nutshell, is found in a soul completely surrendered to Jesus Christ, a heart consumed by Him alone, and a life eagerly poured out for His sake. That is when our lives will sparkle with lasting feminine loveliness. That is when we will trade the counterfeit beauty of pop-culture for a beauty that stands out among other women like a lily among thorns. (Song of Solomon 2:4)"

~Leslie Ludy

The Beauty of Adversity

2011-12-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from: As the Tree Grows by W. Phillip Keller

"The growth of character is possible only under adversity. It is something that can be produced only under the inexorable stress and strain of stormy weather. The tree which responds vigorously to the wrenching winds and bending snow grows tough and strong and durable. Inwardly there is the continuous, quiet, unspectacular growth in godliness. The inner life becomes rich, lustrous, and mellow. Built into the very fiber and grain of the soul are a charm and beauty that only blustery weather could possible produce.

Most of us want to avoid the hard things, the adverse winds, the testing times. Let us not. They are God's method of making special timber for adorning His sanctuary.

The individual whose life has been exposed to stormy weather and survived the strain is most often the one with a quiet inner calm, a sweet serenity of spirit.

Beyond and above this, the picturesque trees above timberline - the battered, beaten, bent, and beautiful trees of the high country - posses the finest aroma. Their wood is impregnated with pitch and resins that act as lubricants between the flexing fibers of their wind-tossed timber. when this wood is sawn and planed and shaped under the Master craftsman's cutting tools, its fragrance fills the air and all the building.

Such perfume is produced only by adversity.

God give me grace to thank you for hardship.

When I do, my life and spirit will grow beautifully winsome - not bitter and cynical."

(Participating in Mrs. Line's EOA Link-up)

~Learn and Live~

2011-12-10T08:46:00.001-08:00

"There's a popular saying: 'live and learn'. That is exactly the first lie that Satan told Adam and Eve...What God was teaching was 'learn and live'. 'Do what I tell you. You don't have to experience it, just do what I tell you. If I tell you it's good, it's good. If I say it's bad, it's bad. Trust Me on this.' And then Satan comes along and says, 'No, you have to experience this to know whether its right or wrong. You need to 'live and learn'."

~ Paul Washer

Welcome! =)

2011-12-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

Across the past several years, the desire to start this blog has been running through my mind. :-)

At last, with fresh inspiration, and my mom's encouragement to keep writing...

...I'm starting!

This is intended to be a blog that is simple yet sweet, convicting yet encouraging and hopeful.

May you be uplifted and edified from this blog to find your hope and your joy and your all in the One who gave us our breath, who has chosen His elect from the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) to be His beloved children.

Soli deo gloria!