Be Honest

This is a fantastic video that a couple of students put together. Make sure you watch it the WHOLE way through...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC1k930APXM

Jesus is life!

My friend just introduced me to the coolest song called Jesus is Life by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Here are some of my favorite lines. Listen to the song!!

Imagine the deepest sea without a drop of water
An infinite galaxy without even one single star
That's how I would be...so absolutely empty
Without Jesus' life in me there'd be no life at all
More than just a part, He's the very heart of everything I am

Jesus is life, yeah, oh, oh, oh
The air I'm breathing
Why my heart is beating
Everything I'm needing

This is my position concerning my condition
This is my position my life by definition


I don't know about you, but I want my position of life, living because of Jesus' life, to be my life definition.

Until the Whole World Hears- Casting Crowns

Watch this awesome video of Casting Crowns' newest single release.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6BW_5WosgA

Everything has a reason...just a reminder

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)

"As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:11)

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If his grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us

Fearless - Max Lucado

"We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that's God following you. Look into the storm; that's Christ coming toward you.

Much to Peter's credit, he took Jesus at his word.'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' So, He said, 'Come.' And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus (Matt. 14:28-29).

Peter never would have made this request on a calm sea. Had Christ strolled across a lake that was as smooth as mica, Peter would have applauded, but I doubt he would have stepped out of the boat. Storms prompt us to take unprecedented journeys. For a few historic steps and heart-stilling moments, Peter did the impossible. He defied every law of gravity and nature; "he walked on the water to go to Jesus."

Matthew moves us quickly to the major message of the event: where to star in a storm. " But when Peter saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' (v. 30)

A wall of water eclipsed his view. A wind gust snapped the mast with a crack and a slap. A flash of lightning illuminated the lake and the watery Appalachians it had become. peter shifted his attention away from Jesus and toward the squall, and when he did he sank like a brick in a pond.

Give the storm waters more attention than the Storm Walker, and get ready to do the same."

Matthew 15:32-39

It is a familiar story; the feeding of 4,000, which is a separate story than the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21) shown in Mark 8:19-20.

It starts with the great attribute of Christ: Compassion. After thinking about what compassion really is and wanting to be able to have that same attribute, I have come up with this. To me based on the acts of Jesus, compassion is always prior to a faith filled action. If you have compassion, it seems that you cannot not help somebody or turn the situation around. It would have been much different if Jesus had looked at all of the hungry people and said, "wow, I wish I would be able to feed them. Why is the world so hungry?" and then moved on. That is NOT compassion. Compassion is how Jesus acted instantaneously to the hungry. He had compassion on them; therefore, he HAD to act on their behalf.

Here is the literal definition of Compassion: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. Notice, the "accompanied by..." part of the definition. Think about what we can do with our strong desires to alleviate suffering. All it takes is faith. Compassion is always prior to faith filled action. When it comes to serving and helping others you wouldn't have faith filled action without compassion...nor would you have compassion that is not followed by an action of faith. That would just be nonsense.

I just have to wonder what the disciples were thinking when they were passing out the 7 loaves and a few small fish. "Does the bread keep growing?" or " I fed this family and it looks like I hardly took out a chunk!" Perhaps, one of the disciples yelled out, "This is an everlasting loaf of bread!" Then, just maybe, God said..."Yes, they got it! I Am the Everlasting and you have witnessed my Son, the Bread of Life (John 6:35).

What faith can do is remarkable because the result isn't in our power but God's.

Mourning Dove

Recently my family and I have become fascinated by birds and the birds have become fascinated with us. We find the most beautiful birds of all different colors in our backyard taking a bath on a daily basis. Last week, I found a mother Dove sitting in our driveway. My first thought was it was hovering over a baby, but it wasn't. It just sat there and looked at me. It wasn't injured or anything. It was just relaxing. I was literally 3 feet from the dove, and she didn't move.
2 days later we found her nest. She has a baby dove now. It has become part of our daily routine now to look for the baby dove and the momma.
Doves can represent the symbol of peace and the presence of God:

Maybe the doves are around us to help us remember the God is always with each of us.

Maybe the doves choose to sit side by side on our front porch steps looking out at the world to remind us as an invitation to go cuddle with our Father and be amazed at Him and what He has done. That is really all the baby dove does besides sing. The dove sits and takes the world in. She looks all around her for at least a half hour just waiting patiently and enjoying what she sees. She takes it in as a child does. I think I have forgotten how amazing and blessed the Earth really is after living here for 17 years. Maybe I should take time to take it all in again.

Maybe the doves sing together because that's all they know how to do to give God glory through their acts of praise.

What if in the midst of my fears or stresses at the completion of each day, I just lay there and fall asleep taking it all in just like a child who is privileged and blessed to live each coming day.

Join your Father, family, and friends today while you take in the newness and grandness of the whole world. It's all around you...peace...love...and I AM (God with us)