Grace Has Called my Name

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g00W8PLa1RI

No Never

"This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:5-9

There are just some things that cannot be done. I mean, a toaster could never, EVER wash an elephant. You could never eat a steak with a straw, demolish a building with one blink of an eye, or convince an umbrella to walk just by asking it to. Like I said, there are just some things that cannot be done! In the same way, there are many things that God cannot do! It's true! God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18). He doesn't do anything that He instructs us not to do, therefore, He doesn't doubt, fear, hold onto anxiety, lust, etc. If it is true (which it is...) that God is Light, than everything that God does is Light. Further, everything that God doesn't do is darkness. There is no darkness in God at all, so what does that mean for us? God puts it rather bluntly: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:6). We are all liars if while we say we have fellowship with God we do anything that God Himself does not do.

It's pretty simple. Examine your life. Is there anything that you do, say, think about, or feel that God Himself cannot do, say, think about, or feel? That is where you are walking in darkness and God says that when you walk in darkess, you cannot honestly say you are in fellowship with Him. And mind you, this is coming from the One who desires to have that heart-close, intimate love relationship with His people. He does not speak out of anything but His intense desire for us, a flawed people. We serve a God who seeks our fellowship, and we're the ones who get in the way of that. This is not, however, the end of the story.

Because we serve a God of hope, mercy, and grace, this is not the end of the story. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 When we refuse our Savior's redemptive and reconciling blood, we make Him die in vain. Christ didn't die for nothing, brothers and sisters! He died and rose again so that we might claim His victory and walk in the newness of His spirit! He died so that we may claim His blood and live!

So can we be a people that seeks to break every area of darkness in our lives with the bold, bright, and beautiful Light that is God Himself? Can we with His courage step into everything that God is, willingly and even joyfully leaving behind everything that is of ourselves? What is there to lose when there is so much to give to the One who gave it all?

The Purest Place

Paint me with Your purity
That I'd attract Your majesty
When others boast in fame and gold
The purest place is where I'll go

Chorus:
The purest place I will draw near
Do what it takes to keep me here
In the center of Your heart
The purest place is where You are

It's not with masses, not with kings
Not in these songs, or offerings
Not in this life, or what it brings
The purest place is You my King

Chorus

Bridge:
If there's such thing as too beautiful
If there's such things as too wonderful
If there's such thing as too marvelous
Jesus it's You, Jesus it's You

Chorus

It's You my King,
It's You my King
The purest place, is You my King

Goodbye, Ears.

Don't Get Comfortable

By Brandon Heath

Comfortable, don't comfortable
I am going to move this mountain
Then I'm going to move you in
Yesterday, this is not yesterday
You were standing on my shoulders
Now you're standing on the edge
You were looking for a sign all this time

I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you've never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

So afraid, that you don't have to be afraid
Even if you make mistakes
You know that I'll remain
You been looking for a sign all this time
If you seek you find me anytime

I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you've never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

Can you feel the call
of love is in moving you
Don't be a child of God
A Love is reaching you
It's everywhere a call of love

I just wanna show you what I mean
I just wanna love like you've never seen
Do you wanna live like you used to dream
Than I've got a song for you

I am gonna show you what I mean
I am gonna love like you've never seen
You are gonna live like you used to dream
This is your new song

You've got a new song

Bustle

After being in the city for over two weeks now, I have come to GREATLY appreciate my Savior's creation, even more so than ever before. Here, the cars are loud, the ground is dirty, and everything has been made or altered by human hands. These things, in turn, make it a struggle to have the peace I normally do. However, even while it is more difficult for me to enter into God's presence with all this bustling around me, I have found that GOd's peace can fill me no matter where I am. God reminded me of Psalm 23 when He MADE David lie down in green pastures and led him beside still waters. The diction used here is very direct and implies an outside force making something happen. At the same time, David was seated at the same tables as his enemies. Like me, he was not where he wsa comfortable, yet God gave him peace and even OVERfilled him with blessings. So, all while I am most comfortable in rural and snall town-like areas, I carry my Savior's peace no matter where I am. He is ALWAYS with me and because I embody Him, I carry all His characteristics with me every day. Unlike my surroundings, God's love never changes and His grace is always before me. Therefore, I will patiently endure the rush of the city and walk in the beauty of my Lord, for His peace fills my heart.

Fame

By Rush of Fools

I have tried to follow, I have tried to lead
I have failed at everything
I have been the culprit to my selfish needs, made everything but You my King

I couldn't be any less worthy
To spend one day much less forever with You

I lift my hands just as I am, I'm letting go of false control
I lift my voice, I have no choice
My life is Yours, use me for Your fame, Your fame

I have not seen heaven, I haven't seen Your face
But I've seen Your Spirit move
And Jesus it's amazing the evidence of grace standing all around this room

I'm merely a product of mercy
The target and victim of Your perfect love

I lift my hands just as I am, I'm letting go of false control
I lift my voice, I have no choice
My life is Yours, use me for Your fame, spreading like a flame

Let every breath proclaim glory to Your name
You can't be contained and I'll never be the same

Hallelujah

Who can hold the stars
And my weary heart?
Who can see everything?

I've fallen so hard
Sometimes I feel so far
But not beyond Your reach

I could climb a mountain
Swim the ocean
Or do anything
But it's when You hold me
That I start unfolding
And all I can say is

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah

The same sun that
Rises over castles
And welcomes the day

Spills over buildings
Into the streets
Where orphans play

And only You can see the good
In broken things
You took my heart of stone
And You made it home
And set this prisoner free

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah

Fernando

I didn't think I could fall in love with 26 people all at the same time.

I would be surprised if God could warm my heart any more for the little kiddos I get to spend seven beautiful hours with each day. I cannot describe the love that I have for them after only two days. While I am going to very willingly and extremely excitedly board the bus headed to Michigan in a few weeks, I am going to have a really hard time leaving these kiddos. Each one has already made a significant imprint in my heart that I'm afraid will never return to normal. I am forever changed by these precious children, and I'm alright with never changing back.

As I spend more time teaching English in this second grade bi-lingual classroom, I find myself being validated that something like this is what I'd like to do for, like...forever. Already, I've established a connection with the majority of kiddos in the classroom. With a thin language barrier, we've managed to talk about everything second graders love to talk about, whether that be ice cream, the north pole, animals, or exciting new math skills. However, I've also gotten a taste of what is burried beneath talk of Spiderman and fun movies. While these kids are bright and are very academically motivated, most of them have a hidden twinge of pain in their eyes that can only be recognized by one who's felt what they've felt, seen what they've seen, and been where they've been. I feel a connection with these and I yearn for their veils to be removed and see the grace that God is placing before them. It brings me physical pain when I let myself think about the stories that these kiddos bear alone. I want so badly for God's grace to sooth them as it has sunk deep into me. I know where they've been and it agonizes me to know they're in it even as I write this. I want to rush in, capture them from their pain, and give them everything they deserve and more. I want to lead them to the One that can fill their little impressionable hearts and hold them tight so they can fly free knowing they've know Love.

Fernando, the little boy whose teacher labeled him as the slowest in the class, has tickled my heart in a very special way. Of all the children, he speaks the least English but he talks to me the most. Despite my broken Spanish and his broken English, we've formed a rich friendship based off conversations about Spiderman and Santa Clause--two of our favorite things! He jibber-jabbers at me like I know every word he's saying and waits patiently for me to understand what he's saying to me. He reads with such color and has fun in everything. I only wish I could make him understand just how special he is, but when I try to tell him, he always interrupts me and says, "No, no, no, no!" Somewhere, somebody lied to him and told him he wasn't smart enough, worth love, or of any use. They were foolish to speak such things, because the Fernando I know is anything but those things.

I Miss Sleep

I am ridiculously thankful that Claire doesn't snore.

...'nuff said.

This, too, will pass, right?

Cookies

Whelp, Christmas break is officially over, the new year is here, and school is starting again. I'm pretty sure I JUST moved away from SBC and into SAU, decorated my hallway, and had the best ever reunion with Claire...But there's snow on the ground, grades on my report card, and a "blank" slate ahead of me. I don't know what will happen this year, but I anticipate every bit of it.

So tonight, I'll turn in when the old people next door do and wake up even before the sun. I'll be teased by a still and lifeless campus at wave goodbye to my home once again. We'll drive 'til we're sick of driving, then drive some more, and then drive some more. Soon enough, we'll shed our layers, feel the warmth of the south on our skin, and stick out like brocolli among cheesecake amist the dark complected Texans. We'll settle, I'll miss home, I'll suck it up with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. I'll love each kiddo, stranger, team member to the best of my surrendered ability and work my very hardest to get a sunburn to take back to SAU.

Imagine, if you will, a person who likes cookies a lot. He's rather fond of all different types of cookies. Almost close enough to see them, there's a plate of cookies just out of his reach. He can't have them just yet. Instead, he must go eat a different plate of cookies. They're still cookies but just a different kind...He's excited about this new plate of cookies, but ya know, it's just not the same knowing there's a plate of cookies waiting for him.

Sigh...

...I can relate.

Cliche New Year's Eve Message

So as I look back over the past year, I am reminded of just how good my God really is and just how much He loves me. I am reminded of His patience, persistence, and stubbornness in pursuing my wandering heart. I am reminded of the freedom He has given me, the blessings He has given me, and the moments when He drew me close.

I never want to forget these things.

Ever.