Recently, there has been a lot of new things going on in my life, and my biggest enemy has risen to fight me. Looking at me, and how I live my life, one wouldn't guess, but I battle with fear a lot. Fear of being hurt, fear of failing, fear of man, etc... It usually rears it's ugly head whenever I take my eyes off of Jesus and start looking at the raging waters all around me. (Matthew 14:30) Anyway, recently I added Jason Gray to my iTunes, and I was listening to this song this morning, and I thought I would share it with you. So, may I present, "No Thief Like Fear," by Jason Gray.
This song just spoke to my heart today, reminding that we aren't called to live in fear. One verse that I have been meditating on is 1st John 4:18 - "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (NKJV) It has been an exciting but scary ride these past few months, and I'm working on continuing to trust my God and King. I know that He always has my good in mind, and has the most amazing plan in mind. So, I continue to press on, being willing to do what He has called me to do, even if I'm doing it afraid.
In His Love,
Christy
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Roses...
Today I picked the last of my roses. The weather was slightly misty, and
so when I picked the roses, they were all dewy, and I had to take some
pictures. And since I haven't blogged in a while, I thought I'd share
some of my favorites with you. :)
We have had a few nights lately that have frosted, so the rose has started to wilt and turn purple. I love how this flower hasn't completely opened, but has such potential.
This is my purity ring. I have a mild obsession with rings and roses. I think that they are absolutely beautiful together. And the reflections turned out really cool.
This last one is one of my favorite photos. I love the angle with the reflection. I had so much fun taking these pictures. I just put the flowers on our kitchen counter, and they turned out so wonderful. :)
Anyway, I wish I had more time to blog... So much has been going on, and hopefully soon I will have time to catch you all up on everything going on in my life. God is amazing, and life is hard, but really good. :)
In His Love,
Christy
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Snapshot of Life
Hello Everyone... I hope you all are having a wonderful summer. God has been so good to me - my summer has been amazing so far, and I'm so excited to see how the rest of this year plays out.
Earlier this summer, as school was getting done, my hours at work were going to be drastically cut. But God provides, and sent more children to the daycare for the summer. So I have been working every day, which has been such a blessing. I love my job. I work at a MAG Childcare - it's a daycare that is in my church. Some days it's stressful or long, and I leave going, "I'm never having children!" :) But then there are the days were everything goes the way it's supposed to, and the children are little dears, and I feel like my life has purpose. (And yes, I still want to have children lol)
I've joined the worship team at our church! It was never something that I ever sought out, but I have been so blessed to be a part of it. I currently play the keyboard, but soon they are going to move me to the piano. That will be an interesting experience. I've played the piano for many years, but only started learning chords a few months ago. But God has blessed me with a passion for worship, and I'm learning to trust Him in a different way. :)
I'm also involved with our children's ministries at church. I have learned so much, and count it a privilege to serve. I went with our church to Kid's camp this year as a counselor. That was such a stretching experience for me. It definitely opened my eyes and made me rethink some things. At one point, I lost my phone, but God was looking out for me, and it got returned to me within an hour.
I am so amazed by all God has been doing in my life. A couple of weeks ago, I was scheduled to play keys for worship, and I had overslept my alarm, and was scrambling to get ready. I left late, and as I went to go get in my truck, it wouldn't start. I was so frustrated, because I was already behind, so I ran back inside, grabbed my dad's keys, and took his car to church. All in all, I was only ten minutes late, but I felt like I was behind, and trying to get plugged in and set up and all that, and inwardly I was just stressing. And it was like God just tapped me on the shoulder and went, "Hey, open your eyes. Do you even realize where you are?" And I stopped grumbling and stressing and just paused and realized, I was somewhere I'd never thought I'd be, but I didn't want to be anywhere else. So what if the car didn't start and the morning didn't go how I planned? God is in control, and I am loved.
I'm currently reading through "My Utmost For His Highest" as my devotional, and this little snippet just stood out to me the other day. "God's end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious."
Psalm 63: 6-8: When I remember You on my bed, I mediate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
Amen and Amen
In His Love,
Christy
Earlier this summer, as school was getting done, my hours at work were going to be drastically cut. But God provides, and sent more children to the daycare for the summer. So I have been working every day, which has been such a blessing. I love my job. I work at a MAG Childcare - it's a daycare that is in my church. Some days it's stressful or long, and I leave going, "I'm never having children!" :) But then there are the days were everything goes the way it's supposed to, and the children are little dears, and I feel like my life has purpose. (And yes, I still want to have children lol)
I've joined the worship team at our church! It was never something that I ever sought out, but I have been so blessed to be a part of it. I currently play the keyboard, but soon they are going to move me to the piano. That will be an interesting experience. I've played the piano for many years, but only started learning chords a few months ago. But God has blessed me with a passion for worship, and I'm learning to trust Him in a different way. :)
I'm also involved with our children's ministries at church. I have learned so much, and count it a privilege to serve. I went with our church to Kid's camp this year as a counselor. That was such a stretching experience for me. It definitely opened my eyes and made me rethink some things. At one point, I lost my phone, but God was looking out for me, and it got returned to me within an hour.
I am so amazed by all God has been doing in my life. A couple of weeks ago, I was scheduled to play keys for worship, and I had overslept my alarm, and was scrambling to get ready. I left late, and as I went to go get in my truck, it wouldn't start. I was so frustrated, because I was already behind, so I ran back inside, grabbed my dad's keys, and took his car to church. All in all, I was only ten minutes late, but I felt like I was behind, and trying to get plugged in and set up and all that, and inwardly I was just stressing. And it was like God just tapped me on the shoulder and went, "Hey, open your eyes. Do you even realize where you are?" And I stopped grumbling and stressing and just paused and realized, I was somewhere I'd never thought I'd be, but I didn't want to be anywhere else. So what if the car didn't start and the morning didn't go how I planned? God is in control, and I am loved.
I'm currently reading through "My Utmost For His Highest" as my devotional, and this little snippet just stood out to me the other day. "God's end is to enable me to see that He can walk on the chaos of my life just now. If we have a further end in view, we do not pay sufficient attention to the immediate present: if we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious."
Psalm 63: 6-8: When I remember You on my bed, I mediate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
Amen and Amen
In His Love,
Christy
Sunday, June 24, 2012
New Blog!
Hey Everyone! I'm starting up a new blog, where I will be reviewing books... Go check it out and follow me! :)
In His Love,
Christy
P.S. Since I forgot to put the link in the blog post, here you go! Tattered Pages is where it all happens.
In His Love,
Christy
P.S. Since I forgot to put the link in the blog post, here you go! Tattered Pages is where it all happens.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
I'm Still Alive!
Hello, my dear blogger friends! This is just a very quick note to say that yes, I am STILL alive! :) My life has been super busy lately, what with work and church and life. But I am loving every minute of it, and I'm so thankful for everything that God is doing. His Faithfulness is beyond describable, and I am so amazed every day by the little ways that He shows up. I've been thinking a lot about the song "Great is Thy Faithfulness." Most of the song is taken from the third chapter of Lamentations, which is actually a really sad book. But in the midst of all this tragedy, the writer pauses and says, "This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!' The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him." (Lamentations 3:21-26) I look at where I am in life, and all that God has brought me through, and I echo Lamentations - "The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him."
So, I am doing just that... I am waiting on my Lord. And I am content to be there, to rest in His faithfulness; to learn how to let His Joy be my strength. Falling in love with the One Who made me, Who died to save me. Learning to live the life that matters. And I pray that y'all are doing the same, no matter what it looks like.
In His Love,
Christy
So, I am doing just that... I am waiting on my Lord. And I am content to be there, to rest in His faithfulness; to learn how to let His Joy be my strength. Falling in love with the One Who made me, Who died to save me. Learning to live the life that matters. And I pray that y'all are doing the same, no matter what it looks like.
In His Love,
Christy
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A Summation of Ellerslie... maybe.
I have vacillated back and forth about doing a blog post about a summary of my time at Ellerslie... I've been hesitant, mostly because I've been having a hard time trying to describe it. The whole thing was amazing... painful... healing... stretching... stirring... and yet... unless you've been there and gone through it, it might not make sense to you... I've been asked to try and sum up the whole thing in one sentence, or to name the one thing that stands out the most...
Most of my life I've been thought of as "the good girl," the one who serves and lives at home and does whatever is asked of her, "the strong Christian," etc., etc... but while at Ellerslie, I realized how little I actually knew; I had such a small view of my God, and I kept Him inside the parameters of my views. I read my Bible because that's what "good Christians do," not so I could learn more, not so I could see my Savior living and breathing on every page. I was content to stay where I was, instead of reaching higher for the standards that are mapped out in the Bible. Oh, I looked good on the outside, but I struggled so hard with various things, especially in the past few years. And I don't wonder if things would have been different if I had known my Savior better.
So, in summation, all I can say is this, my eyes have been opened to how much more there is. My tent stakes have been pulled up. I'm marching into the unknown, following in the footsteps of those who have gone before. The "great cloud of witnesses" have beckoned me "further up and further in" and I'm "running with endurance the race that is set before" me. (Heb. 12:1)
Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! ~ Ps. 27:11-14
Chazaq Amats!
In His Love,
Christy
Most of my life I've been thought of as "the good girl," the one who serves and lives at home and does whatever is asked of her, "the strong Christian," etc., etc... but while at Ellerslie, I realized how little I actually knew; I had such a small view of my God, and I kept Him inside the parameters of my views. I read my Bible because that's what "good Christians do," not so I could learn more, not so I could see my Savior living and breathing on every page. I was content to stay where I was, instead of reaching higher for the standards that are mapped out in the Bible. Oh, I looked good on the outside, but I struggled so hard with various things, especially in the past few years. And I don't wonder if things would have been different if I had known my Savior better.
So, in summation, all I can say is this, my eyes have been opened to how much more there is. My tent stakes have been pulled up. I'm marching into the unknown, following in the footsteps of those who have gone before. The "great cloud of witnesses" have beckoned me "further up and further in" and I'm "running with endurance the race that is set before" me. (Heb. 12:1)
Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! ~ Ps. 27:11-14
Chazaq Amats!
In His Love,
Christy
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Bucket List Revisions... (Ellerslie Post 9)
Hey everyone... This blog post is something that I have been contemplating for a bit, and I really feel like God is leading me to write this.
On my birthday earlier this year, I put up a blog post with a list of 27 things that I wanted to do this year - things I wanted to experience, if you will. However, while being here at Ellerslie, the Lord has really been pricking on my heart about a couple of things - one thing in particular actually.
#9 ~ Going on a date.
My whole life I have championed not dating - living a life of complete devotion to whomever I would marry in the future. Proverbs 31:12 says, "She does him good and not evil ALL the days of her life." Not just after I've met him, or after I've been married. And yet, on my list of things to do this year is to go on a date.
I realize that I've been struggling with trusting God in all things - I'd gotten tired of waiting, so to speak, and thought that I'd "help" God along. "Just because I go on a date doesn't mean that I'm giving my heart away," was how I justified it to myself. Even though I wrote that it didn't have to be a guy, I really wanted it to be a guy... It just sounded better if I didn't admit it. And I didn't want to admit it even to myself that I was struggling with being discontent and not trusting God. I'm the "good girl" so to speak - I'm not really supposed to struggle with things like that. I felt like I was supposed to have it all together, but I didn't. I still don't, in a way. But I'm learning how to fully be surrendered to God and yield my life as a living offering to Jesus Christ on a daily basis. My life is not my own - I have been bought with a price, and everything I do should bring God glory.
So today, God went after #9 on my list. And I really feel like He is calling me to apologize to all of you readers. I was wrong in not trusting Him and for lowering my standard. I ask for your forgiveness and patience as I continue to seek out how God wants me to live. I pray that my list didn't cause any of you to stumble, and if it did I am very sorry.
Please pray for me as I continue to seek out His will for my life...
In His Love,
Christy
On my birthday earlier this year, I put up a blog post with a list of 27 things that I wanted to do this year - things I wanted to experience, if you will. However, while being here at Ellerslie, the Lord has really been pricking on my heart about a couple of things - one thing in particular actually.
#9 ~ Going on a date.
My whole life I have championed not dating - living a life of complete devotion to whomever I would marry in the future. Proverbs 31:12 says, "She does him good and not evil ALL the days of her life." Not just after I've met him, or after I've been married. And yet, on my list of things to do this year is to go on a date.
I realize that I've been struggling with trusting God in all things - I'd gotten tired of waiting, so to speak, and thought that I'd "help" God along. "Just because I go on a date doesn't mean that I'm giving my heart away," was how I justified it to myself. Even though I wrote that it didn't have to be a guy, I really wanted it to be a guy... It just sounded better if I didn't admit it. And I didn't want to admit it even to myself that I was struggling with being discontent and not trusting God. I'm the "good girl" so to speak - I'm not really supposed to struggle with things like that. I felt like I was supposed to have it all together, but I didn't. I still don't, in a way. But I'm learning how to fully be surrendered to God and yield my life as a living offering to Jesus Christ on a daily basis. My life is not my own - I have been bought with a price, and everything I do should bring God glory.
So today, God went after #9 on my list. And I really feel like He is calling me to apologize to all of you readers. I was wrong in not trusting Him and for lowering my standard. I ask for your forgiveness and patience as I continue to seek out how God wants me to live. I pray that my list didn't cause any of you to stumble, and if it did I am very sorry.
Please pray for me as I continue to seek out His will for my life...
In His Love,
Christy
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