Steadiness.

How do you respond when things change? When things don't seem like they'll ever change? How does your heart handle a shift in pace? In direction?

Well, if you are anything like me (and bless your heart if you are), then your immediate reaction to life's changes isn't always admirable. And maybe you don't physically stomp your feet or burst into tears (or maybe you're a crier. no judgement here) every time life throws you a curve ball, but I'll bet you have a lesson to learn about steadiness.

God is good. All the time. And I KNOW that His plans are sovereign. And I DESIRE to do His will. DESIRE to be faithful. LONG to glorify Him in everything I do. So why am I so darn surprised/ confused/ upset when He gives me an opportunity to do so? Well, I think the answer lies in my awareness of Him. When I am diligent in growing my relationship with Christ, I am aware of His hand in my life. When I am lazy in my pursuit of Him, I lose my way so easily. And with it, my steadiness. And in the constant ebb and flow of life and relationships, I think it is fair to assume that we will fail ALOT in this area. But how about today, we all stop. Become aware of His hand in our lives. And ask, in faith, how and why He is moving us through this life for His purpose.








"I am training you in steadiness. Too many things interrupt your awareness of Me. I know that you live in a world of sight and sound but you must not be a slave to those stimuli. Awareness of Me can continue in all circumstances, no matter what happens. This is the steadiness I desire for you.

Don't let unexpected events throw you off course. Rather, respond calmly and confidently, remembering that I am with you. As soon as something grabs your attention, talk with Me about it. Thus I share your joys and your problems. I help you cope with whatever is before you. This is how I live in you and work through you. This is the way of Peace."

Psalm 112:7
Isaiah 41:10

Sarah Young, Jesus Calling: April 17

Imago Dei.

The Lord has been so sweet to teach me. All my life really, but more specifically in the most recent days. In an intentional prayer to learn and live in a spirit of teachability, my God has been faithful to give my heart fresh material. Here is what He laid on my heart today. Maybe you need to be reminded. And encouraged. (Hang with my stream of consciousness):

If I'm honest, two of my greatest longings in this life is to be loved and to love well. Out of this heart cry, the Lord is teaching me that with this longing comes an intentional responsibility to 1) Understand love. 2) Fight for it. 3) Truly, and deeply believe in its Origin. Only then can you love. Only then can you be loved.

I love because He first loved me. He called me out of darkness. Out of ignorance. Out of apathy. Into His marvelous light. Out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. To love as He does. And this is love, my brothers and sisters: It is patient. kind. It does not envy or boast. Is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice in wrongdoing. But rejoices with the Truth. Love bears all things. Love believes all things. Love hopes all things. Love endures all things. It is unfailing. It is the epitome of God's character. Because God is love. And being created in His flawless, perfect image, I am called to love. It should be the only desire of my heart. To love God and love people. And love well. Do you understand?

But how often do I find myself to be just the opposite? More times than I care to mention. I frequently fail the image that I was created in because I am impatient, unkind, jealous, proud, and rude. I insist on my way time and time again. I commonly become irritable, and bitter in life's circumstances. And rejoice when something less than ideal happens to someone who has hurt me. I deny truth and believe lies. I crumble when trying to bear life, believe people, and hope for things. I fall on my face instead of endure. I fail. But not because God fails. I fail because I allow the Enemy to win in my heart. And to that I ask you: Don't you see that you must fight? The War of death has been won, my friend, but the battles RAGE within us DAILY. Rise up with your shield and sword and declare war on the Enemy that keeps you from loving well and being loved.

Finally, brothers and sisters, know that I (and you) are only able to show love, be love, be loved because of Christ at work in me (us). He fights my battles, and so I win them. He shows me daily how He loves me, so that I know what it looks like. And in turn, I love people well. I cling to His goodness. Rely on His grace alone. And know from the bottom of my heart that He is more than enough for me. In that truth, He mends my heart daily. And allows it to soften for Him and for the people around me.

I was created in His image. In my longing to love well, I satisfy His heart's desire. And in my ability to love well, Christ is glorified. For I know I couldn't do it without Him.

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing...Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 8-13

A Fruit Offering.

Every life changed by the indescribable power of the gospel of Jesus Christ bears fruit. God's Word speaks of this truth. In Scripture, we read over and over that "fruit" in a person's life is evidence of Christ in them:

John 15:1-5- "“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

James 3:17- "...But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere..."

Romans 7:4- "...So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God."

Christ wanted us to understand the perpetual nature of bearing fruit. Because in spending your life listening to His spirit, and pouring out your gifts, and recognizing His hand in your life due to a fuller knowledge of Him, you think little of yourself. Christ is placed at the forefront of your mind and heart. Bearing fruit requires selflessness. Those attributes born of the flesh--jealousy, self-loathing, selfish ambition, and pride-- only turn our hearts inward. While the fruits born of the Spirit-- gentleness, patience, self-control, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness-- urge our hearts to change the world around us. Because Christ has changed us, we long for the lives around us to also be changed by His grace. To live by the Spirit is to deny thyself. And to live by the Spirit is to produce fruit. And if my only desire in this life is to live the good and abundant life that Christ so freely gave Himself for me to live BY THE SPIRIT, then my fruit is my offering back to Him...

Every divine conversation. Every Aha! moment I have while reading Scripture. Every restless night spent bearing another's burden. Every girl that I had the opportunity to disciple, changing her world. Every bit of wisdom I have received or given that glorifies the Lord. Every moment of peace. Every woman I comfort in His name. Every time I choose compassion over coldness, and joy over confusion. Every battle I win against my Enemy. Every baby I protect by the clinical knowledge that He has planted in my mind. Every perfectly timed Word to a friend. Every sweet moment of an opportunity to forgive. Every prayer answered exactly the way I'd hoped. Every prayer answered in a completely different way than I'd planned. Every faith decision affirmed. FRUIT.

And however painful, however slow the growth process is, the fruit my life bears is His. Sometimes bruised and busted in my hands. Other times ripe and full and vibrant. Either way, I yield it up to Him. That He may plant a new seed in my heart to grow. To nurture. To blossom and bud. For the beautiful process to begin all over again. Hallelujah, I offer up my fruit to the One who allows me to live bearing it. Day after glorious day.

White as Snow.

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small; Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in Me thine all in all.” Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. Lord now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone can change the lepers spots and melt the heart of stone. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. My sin had left this crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.

And when before the throne, I stand in Him complete, "Jesus died my soul to save," My lips shall still repeat. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.


O praise the One who paid my debt.
And raised this life up from the dead.
We’ll praise the One who paid my debt.
And raised this life up from the dead.

Colossians 1:15-22:

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation..."

Singing over me.

When I sing, I feel alive. It's always been that way...Sometimes, spoken words just don't convey the emotion of a situation like the lyrics to a song do. When I sing, I feel like my heart is just overflowing its contents. Joy, frustration, peace, sadness. Regardless of the feeling, when I sing, I process it.

And when I sing to the Lord, I feel as though it is only He and I in the room. What an intimate knowledge. A deep love. Well, the Word tells us that God sings. Sings over us. Do you even know how incredibly happy that makes me? When we don't know the words to say...when we don't feel like His plans are panning out...when we feel lonely and lost. He is singing over us. A sweet and strong song. Find rest in that today. Take heart, my brother. Have joy, my sister. For He is near, and fighting for you.

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? and earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:23-26

Teachable.

Have you ever looked back on a time, or a season of life, or even a moment and been able to describe it in a word?

i.e.


Middle school = awkward.

My freshman year of college = definitive.

Yesterday = exhausting.


Most of the times in our lives are either intentionally or unintentionally defined in a word. And I personally believe that we have more control over how each day is defined than we sometimes think. Well, this year, the Lord has laid a particular word on my heart. Over the years, He has been so faithful to teach my heart the paths to take, the way to love, and the way to mend. And this year, I so deeply desire to be teachable.


The dictionary defines the word "teach" this way:
- To impart knowledge or skill to...
- To provide knowledge of; instruct in...
- To condition to a certain action or frame of mind...
- To carry on instruction on a regular basis in...
- To cause to learn by example or experience...


God is always faithful to teach me. I, on the other hand, am not always faithful to be taught. In 2012, I pray fervently to be open to every moment. I long to be led by my God. To be grown in His wisdom. To be built and rebuilt by His strength. To be discipled by His people. To be loved furiously by Him. To be taught. As a Father to a daughter. A Creator to His creation. A friend to a friend.



I long to be teachable. Do you?

Here I Raise My Ebenezer...

For those that know me, I believe that you would agree that I am typically not at a loss for words. More times than not, I offer an opinion with or without a request (and you can normally hear it from the next room). I analyze things to death. Then analyze why I would analyze something so much. I can cover the full range of emotions in a 24 hour period, and it happens more times than not. For those of you that don't know me, I can only confess that this is me in a nutshell.

But this week has been different. Well, sort of different.

In 7 days, I did cover a full range of emotions. However, even now, I'm not sure I can clearly voice them. I'm still sorting through the joy and the sorrow of it all. This week will surely be one of those weeks that I look back on as my Ebenezer...A memorial established in remembrance of what God has done for a person or group of people. Let's recap:

April 24: I spent Easter Sunday with my dear friends at Epic Church in San Francisco. Singing praises at the top of our lungs, building community with the city, and loving the hearts and lives of those around us in a very special way as we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. The one and only Conquerer of the grave, and Redeemer of our hearts.

April 25: On the flight home from San Francisco, my friend Mary Beth and I were called alongside a man who needed medical assistance. At 30,000 feet. Through our frantic recall of Nursing 101 and heartfelt prayer, the man was ok, and left in the hands of paramedics once we landed.

April 26: I returned to work, still exhausted, but so filled with joy and contentment from the happenings in San Francisco. God was beginning to prepare in me plans to go out into the world/country in some different capacity in the next couple of years. Still praying through that...

April 27: Several EF-4 Tornadoes ripped through my state. Leaving only devastation in their wakes. My college town of Tuscaloosa, hardest hit. Greatly suffering. Some lost all they had, some lost all they owned. Some lost faith in a good God. And some gained faith that they didn't even know they were capable of having.

April 28: With no power and the heaviest heart I can remember, I returned to work that morning. And the rest is a blur.

April 29: My friends from the GAP class at SMBC and I gathered supplies for our friends in Tuscaloosa and prepared our hearts and our hands to set out to help them. As the church, we knew that only the love of Christ can bring the peace that our dear neighbors so desperately needed. We were able to gather clothes, toiletries, food, and water to meet basic needs of those affected by the storms.

April 30: My brothers and sisters left Shades at 9:00am and arrived at Tuscaloosa Temporary Emergency Services with our supplies. Then met up with a group of friends from Calvary in Tuscaloosa to help clear trees off of some property. Property that, much to my surprise, belonged to my Freshman Sunday School teacher. I was overwhelmed as I looked at the remains of their house and grateful that I could hug her. Then through a work order from Samaritan's Purse, we also helped clear the backyard of a woman whose roof had been completely blown off of her house. In awe, and with a greater sense of mercy, grace, and brotherly love, we returned home. And gathered together for dinner after. Grateful. And bonded for life.

May 1: Church had a whole new meaning. And gratitude to be able to worship together rang clearer in my heart that morning. And rest that afternoon was tough but essential. After meeting with my senior girls that night, I settled into a seat at Workplay with my best friend. Desperately longing for music to help heal what had been broken that week. And through Drew and Ellie Holcomb, I breathed a little easier because of their music. Of their spirits. Their love for each other and for the Lord was refreshing. And cleaned away the sorrow for a bit.

And the week ended just as it began. In some common ways. In some very different ways.

Like I said, I am still unable to truly wrap my brain and my heart around the happenings of that final week in April, 2011. But I do know a few things:

*That God is good, and just, and a refuge for those who call on His name.

*That community is essential. True, authentic community with other people is God's plan for the church. And that the church is alive and well.

*We still have a long road ahead.

*Joy is different from happiness. And man, is it sweet.

*It's ok to not have all the answers, and to not know how you feel. As long as absolute Truth finds its way into your conversations and the character of Christ is woven in and out of who you are and what your hands find to do.

So, here I raise my Ebenezer. Remembering for years to come that My God is greater and able. He is good and Sovereign. And though, today, I am grateful for many things, and brokenhearted over just as many, I know that all is in His hands. And always has been.

John 16:33: "...I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

"Here I raise mine Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood."