He desires you ... part 2

Have you given any thought to yesterday's post?

I sure have and it doesn't matter how many times I read these promises in His word...

I am excited, I am grateful and honestly there are days I am relieved.

I don't have to do it on my own and I am not meant to.

Neither are you.

So let's dig in a little deeper.

What happens when you choose something? 

You pick it out and it is yours.

You chose it because you saw value in it.

You take care of it because it is yours.

Remember yesterday when I said He chose us.

He chose you. He chose me.

Well the same theory applies to us.

He chose us and we are now His.

We belong to Him.

We have a new idenity.

It is in Him.

Daughter of the King.

Princess.

Beloved. 

Loved.

Honored. 

Cherished.

Prized,

Special.

Perfect in His Sight.

If you have never heard those words attached to your name,
I encourage you to print them out, paste them on your bathroom wall,
on your fridge, on your desk,
anywhere where you will see them, and read them and believe them.

I love that identity.

It is so far from how I see myself many days.

But every day I wake up He sees me through His eyes, not my own. 

I am sinner, saved by grace and in Him I am a new creation.

Guess what sisters? You can be too!
It is such an exciting thing and I can't help but share it.
It is a message I want to shout from the rooftops.
So many of you know just what I am saying, you too know about His amazing grace...

 but maybe you needed the reminder.

Or maybe like me you never tire of hearing you are made new in Him.

In Ephesians Chapter 1 vs 17 -18 Paul is praying for the church at Ephesus and his prayer is that they would be given a spirit of wisdom, and revelation so that they would know Him better.

My prayer is the same.

That as women of the body of Christ we know be given a spirit of wisdom, to know Him better. 

In getting to know Him better we also come to know our purpose and our plan in Him. 

What is your purpose, what is your plan?

Maybe you are still even doubting there is one for you.

Well sweet friend, there is a purpose and plan, unique for you.

It isn't my plan or my sisters plan or even my best friends plan.

It has been designed specifically for you, and no one can fulfill it but you.
You are destined for greatness, you have something that has been set apart, by Him for you.
only you.
Can you imagine that?
He has a plan, the God of the universe, the painter of the majestic skies,
the one who commands the oceans
He has a plan, just for you. He designed it with you in mind.
Only you.

He also shares that we would come to know we are His glorious inheritance. 

You are His prized possession.

And that as a believer we are given incomparably great power...

Remember, God power is never tied by our past, our present, titles, degrees,
positions of authority, or rules of this world.
The power He possesses is all surpassing power

Believe that promise and take heart that He is bigger that anything you face.

As a daughter of the King you are linked to Christ, forever. No matter what may come to pass. 

In Him there is Victory, therefore, we always have victory because Jesus always wins. 

Friends, I am proof of God's mercy and grace. 

I am proof He shows no favoritism among choosing His children. 

He just desires a relationship with you. 

There is nothing you can do to change that.

If you decline today, He will still desire you tomorrow, and the next day.
He will still pursue you until you take your last breath.

Maybe you have accepted His offer to be your Lord and Savior,

this message is equally important to us as well.

He pursues us too.. He desires to grow in a relationship with us too.

He desires to be the place to run to with all your fears, He desires to celebrate in your joys,

He desires to hear the deepest concerns of your heart, He desires for you to know Him

to experience Him fully. 

Come with me, let's say yes and pursue Him together.... 

He desires you... What's your answer?

This summer I have been spending a good bit of time in the book of Ephesians.
This letter written by Paul to the church at Ephesus isn't something that was just relevant for the
people in 62AD but it is just as important today...
we are still the body of Christ.

Growing up going to church was about doing the "right thing".
You wore your Sunday best and after Sunday School and the Sermon you went to lunch.
People talked a lot about denomination and which church you attended.
There were "in" churches and not so "in" churches.
The Methodists had their "ways" and the Catholics theirs and then there was the Baptists and don't forget the Church of Christ and so on and so forth... especially if you're from the south, you know what I am talking about. You have been witness to these conversations round a kitchen table.

Today I see such a shift in this body of young adult believers and it is blowing me away.
God is using this generation and there are people rising up all over this nation to lead, and serve and be His hands and feet. God is knocking down boundaries and barriers in such a big way. There are churches popping up that are non-denominational and I love it. It isn't about your denomination it is about Christ,
 it is about loving people where they are for who they are because they are a beautiful and unique,
loved child of God.
 It honestly makes me excited to see it...
I am even more excited that I get to be a part of a church that really walks that out.
On any given Sunday I can sit next to a woman who has attended church faithfully for 50 years
or I can sit next to a man who was just released from prison last week for theft and
it doesn't matter. In those walls there is love. In those walls we have all sinned and we have all fallen short
and there is the same solution to save us all.
God doesn't show favoritism over His children and I love how today's church is opening their doors and hearts to all His children.

So many of us grew up worried about following the rules, and being taught what we were supposed to do.
It is what I now call "religion" as opposed to relationship.
Religion is about rules, religion makes us fail every single time.
See, we will never in our own power be able to get it all right.
We are human, we are broken, we are unable to make ourselves right with God.
If we try, we'll wear ourselves out and give up.
It is a common denominator of humanity.We all fall victim.

But relationship, now that is a whole other ball game. 

God doesn't desire religion. God desires relationship.
He desires to be your Father, He desires to be your Savior, He desires to walk with you, to listen, to uphold, to support, to love, to lavish grace and mercy and peace. He desires to be your safe place.
I learned a valuable lesson a few years ago.
One I wish I had learned many many years before...
Maybe it is one you have learned and as they say "teachers are the worst students"
so it would make sense I came to this concept late....  : )

Once you fall into this relationship with God the boundaries, the rules, the religion,
it all changes. You have this love, this respect, this innate desire to please your Heavenly Father and out of right relationship with Christ these things fall into place.
He is my Daddy after all and what little girl, what daughter of the King doesn't want to please her Daddy?

In Ephesians 1:4 we learn this valuable piece of information:
For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be HOLY and BLAMELESS in His sight.
Do you see that?
He chose us.
That means He chose me,
He chose you. 
Just the way you were, before creation, before religion ever came into play.
He chose you.
He desired you.
Just the way you were.

What a shift right?
In religion we are always striving, battling for approval, for keeping the rules.

But here He is saying He chose you.
He is desiring a relationship with you right now.
It doesn't matter what rules you didn't keep.
He doesn't care.
He just wants you.
Will you say yes?

You say, oh but you don't know what I have done, or what I am doing or who I am involved with.
I have to stop this, or that, or maybe when I am done with this chapter of my life.
Then I can have a relationship with Him.
Or ______________ fill in the blank with whatever excuse applies....

Read these words, HE desires YOU.
Just where you are today.
You see God is not inhibited by our circumstances.
Even if you think you have created quite the mess out of life.
He is bigger, He is stronger, and His love covers it all.

He just wants you.
Will you say yes?

part 2 tomorrow....

a walk to remember ~

today i am looking at wide awake part 2 in the louie giglio series out of passion city church.

if you would like to watch the entire sermon click the link and visit the 'watch button' 

for quite some time this verse has spoken to me. 

it always seemed like such simple advice but such deep truth.

it may the time of year but it seems (for those of us in the world of all things school)
this time of year marks a fresh beginning a new start.
what pointed advice as we head down the halls and into the work place.
pointed advice that truly applies to every situation.

that unfair boss, the co-worker you can't trust, the person the next cubicle over facing
divorce or sickness. they all need to see it.
we can reflect it.
will we? will you? will I?
we have a choice to make.

when we are treated unjustly, will we act justly anyway?
when the co - worker who claims your hard work as theirs will you act justly?
will you love them tenderly anyway?
when your neighbor in cubicle land shares her most recent heartbreak
will you reach out, love her tenderly amidst your busy work day?
can we walk humbly with our God in a work place that tries to shush His glory?

i encourage you sisters in Christ, take this verse to heart.
think of it often. maybe even write it on an index card and tape it to your computer screen.
can you imagine the light of His love that would be reflected if we did this?
consistently?

good things my friends.
good things would happen.
hearts would be comforted... change could come.
let's see.

lavishly loved

spending some time again this week with louie, via internet, from passion city church. 

it has been a regular occurence 

an afternoon meeting i eagerly await while they upload his latest sermon. 

this week we looked at love, specifically hitting: 1 john 4, 1 john 3, and psalm 139

love, we often times think of as a feeling but really it is a choice. that is outlined for us

in 1 corinthians 13:4-13. it specifically outlines what actions demonstrate love.

but what we looked at today was loving one another, because God loves us.

we also looked at learning to receive love, then reflecting that love to others.

for some of us receiving love is tough.

for me receiving love can be difficult.  

you see, i can love those around me, my family, my friends,

and i love big. sometimes i love so much it hurts. 

but to receive love.

that's another story. 

you see part of my story has ties of rejection. 

and when you are rejected it is easy to start thinking

you don't deserve love.

especially if the person rejecting you is a parent.

it just doesn't seem fathomable that a person who carries the same dna

would reject you. now as a parent it seems even more far fetched.

come hell or highwater, nothing could keep me from these precious babies.

to be in their lives, loving on them daily, lord have mercy 

it is what makes my heart tick.

to walk away, not possible. 

about 5 years ago i had a falling out with my dad. 

we had complicated relationship prior to that,

but 5 years ago, rubber met the road so to speak, 

and the relationship was broken. 

the tough part was he still had a relationship with my siblings. 

just not me.

painful. 

when that happened feelings and thoughts crept in like

"if your own father doesn't want a relationship with you what's wrong with you?"

"having a relationship with you isn't worth fighting for or apologizing for"

"you aren't loved"

"you don't have value in the life of your dad"

"you can be tossed away like yesterdays garbage with no thought"

those were lies i believed.

those were lies that were meant for my destruction, for harm.

lies that haunted my nights and whispered in my ear during the day.

too often we believe the lies someone says about us instead of what God says about us.

for me, i believed the lies and instead the truth of God's word was drowned out

by these lies that threatened to take me down. 

but God's truth is stronger, His word is powerful, and pervasive. 

in psalm 139 vs 13-14 it says, God loves us, He made us, 

we are fearfully and wonderfully made. His works are wonderful!

well i am one of His works, and so are you. 

it doesn't matter what lies you believe.

those lies are burned to ashes in the truth of Gods word. 

we are God designed. that is truth, that is fact.

my God doesn't make mistakes, He makes miracles.

you and i are one of those miracles.

God took those lies and turned them into truth.

God took what i believed about myself and my worth and made something even more beautiful.

He used that pit of lies to call me unto Himself.

today i have a relationship with my heavenly Father, my creator, who knit me together

that is based on who i am in Him. 

you see, God is love.

plain and simple. 

anything else, isn't of Him.

those lies, those thoughts i believed about myself, they were ties that bound me up.

ties that kept me from the truth of God's unending, unfailing and immense love for me.

today i often remind myself where my true value, self and worth lies.

it makes my heart smile. 

see, it doesn't matter if my dad doesn't value me or even care to have a relationship with me.

what matters is this, God's view of me, and you:

"i am god designed, purpose intended, significant, lavishly loved, a princess, 

a daughter of the King of the universe"

precious friend, no matter where you are today, no matter what you think,

stop and think, "is what i believe about myself from God or others?"

if it isn't from God it's just not true. plain and simple.

because God's view of you is through the eyes of love.

you are cherished, loved, and valued.

He celebrates the miracle of you. 

a treasure to be held to his heart.

"grace moved the stone" thoughts

source unknown, if you know who designed this please let me know so i may give proper credit.

"grace moved the stone" is the latest podcast from louie giglio, pastor of passion city church.
if you click the link it will take you to his site and message link.
i believe it was his message from july 8th.

from time to time i like to watch his sermons and never ever am i disappointed.
there is so much truth, so much wisdom, there is just so much.
i first heard about louie when my pastor showed his clip on laminin.
astounding. especially during such a time of uncertainty, fear and tears.
but that clip, healing words.
then through the lovely paige knudsen who is lucky enough to hear this man preach in person.

grace moved the stone was awesome.
in it he explores john 20.
i had read john 20, even made a few notes the last few times i had been over it.
but louie takes another look, a deeper look.
one i had not considered.
in it we see God.
we see who he is by what he does.
in His human form.
love in action.
we learn about a promise.
do you know about the promise of john 20?
i didn't until today.
but it is wonderful and i am thrilled to know now.

louie points out the promise of john 20 is this:
He's already there, He's already done the work for us.
we just have to show up,
we have to be willing,
we have to trust,
but the battle, the hard work, it's done.

what do i mean?
if we look at john 20:1
the first sentence says it all.
"early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark,
Mary Magdelene, went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed
from the entrance."

picture it, early sunday morning, before the sun had broken the horizon,
Mary went to the tomb to care for Jesus body.
even in His death, she was serving Him.
that strikes me.
but when she gets there, He is gone.
there is no body to care for. He has risen!
He had already taken care of it.

that's a great promise He makes through His actions.
she is willing, she trusts, she is "showing up" to do His work.
but He has already done it.
what a picture of grace.

what is going on in your life?
what is asking you to do?
i know what He is asking me to do.
He is showing me clearly.
there has been some kicking, some screaming, and buckets up on buckets of tears.
struggle, heartache, fear.
but you know what?
He is already there, the battle has been won,
i just need to show up.

later on in chapter 20
specifically vs 19-20.
we see another example of His love, His grace, in action. 
 "on the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together,
with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and
said "Peace be with you." After he said this, He showed them his hands and side. The disciples
were overjoyed, when they saw the Lord."

the disciples, locked in a room, in the midst of paralyzing fear, confusion, 
uncertainty for their futures.... 
and Jesus appears. 
you notice He didn't knock, He didn't ask to come in. 
"He came and stood among them."
and with that he says
"peace be with you"
He goes on to show them His hands and side.
He is connecting his wounds to the evidence that it truly is Him
and that it is through His wounds he imparts peace.

what a lovely picture of grace.

there is so much here.
there is so much that you just need to watch for yourself.
today i settled in with a cup of hot green tea, my bible and my notebook...
it was precious pearls of wisdom that encourages me
it assures me that this call He has been placing on my heart isn't too big.
for He has already been there. He has won the battle.
i just need to show up, i just need to trust.
what has He placed on your heart?