Where do we find our pleasure?

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!

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~

"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

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~

"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! =)

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!