On Sunday, we introduced a new song at our church. It's called "Forever Reign" and it's written by Kristian Stanfill and Jason Ingram, I believe. The bridge in essence goes like this, "My heart will sing no other name, Jesus, Jesus."
Just hearing the body of Christ sing it together is enough to lift your faith, but my focus that morning and this week had been on the word "WILL". My heart WILL sing.
I'll be really transparent. I haven't been feeling much like singing lately. I am 32 weeks pregnant, which is a huge blessing. However, I tend to have difficult pregnancies. This one hasn't been my worst, but it also hasn't been the best. I always deal with depression and anxiety during pregnancy. It is a struggle for the whole nine months. And this pregnancy has been especially difficult with lack of sleep, fatigue, and some pulled muscle that makes life difficult.
Don't get me wrong. I am VERY excited for our sweet girl to come... but the getting there is not easy.
I have had to will myself to sing. To worship. To praise. To trust.
Some days I just cry out to God. Other days God gives me a glimpse of our little one to come and it spurs me on through the day.
Now, I have just been more transparent with you than with most people in my life. Most people would not even believe that I have struggles like this. Not because I pretend not to, but because I just don't tell very many people.
There are times in our lives when we have to CHOOSE to worship. Through depression. Through tears. Through pain. Through life, really.
It is a choice for me everyday. Honestly, I don't feel like it. But I know I NEED to put the Lord in His rightful place in my life everyday in order to be sustained. I know I have to get my eyes fixed on Him. Do I still have hard days? You bet. But I know He is with me. And I WILL sing His name.
Blessings!
9.22.2011
9.21.2011
Hurt vs. Harm
One of my favorite Proverbs says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."
At first glance, this proverb may seem contradictory. Wounds can never be a good thing, right? They hurt. They burn. They sting. Friends aren't supposed to wound us. They are supposed to support us. Love us. Stand beside us. Encourage us. Make us laugh and feel better about ourselves.
Sure, these are great qualifications for a true friend. Honestly, though, we need friends who will also be real with us when we are making bad choices. Who will stand in the way of us walking down a harmful path. Who will keep us accountable to the values and goals we have for our lives. Does it hurt when a friend "wounds" us by doing these things? You bet. We may get defensive, give them the silent treatment, or post some vague comment on facebook about how we wish we had real friends.
But the truth is a friend who will "hurt" you so you won't "harm" yourself is a true friend.
We often think hurt and harm are synonyms. Not really. There are things in life that will hurt us, but they won't harm us. It hurts my kids when I have to put them in a time-out from their computer games because they are mistreating each other. Does that hurt them? Yes, and I usually hear about it in high-pitched squeals. But does it harm them? No, it teaches them to value people.
Let's go a little deeper. There are times God will allow pain into our lives that hurts, but it doesn't harm us. In fact, it causes us to depend on Him even more. To cling to Him even more. And that is right where we should be. The most painful times in my life have been the most intimate with Father (God) and Jesus. Those times were very hurtful, but as I look at my life now, I see that those times not only didn't harm me but they have shaped me into the person I am today... more graceful, more merciful, more empathetic, more real.
I am thankful for friends who are willing to get in my face sometimes and not LET ME walk down a path that leads to harm. Do you have that kind of friend in your life? Or do you get offended and push those friends away? Remember, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."
Blessings!
At first glance, this proverb may seem contradictory. Wounds can never be a good thing, right? They hurt. They burn. They sting. Friends aren't supposed to wound us. They are supposed to support us. Love us. Stand beside us. Encourage us. Make us laugh and feel better about ourselves.
Sure, these are great qualifications for a true friend. Honestly, though, we need friends who will also be real with us when we are making bad choices. Who will stand in the way of us walking down a harmful path. Who will keep us accountable to the values and goals we have for our lives. Does it hurt when a friend "wounds" us by doing these things? You bet. We may get defensive, give them the silent treatment, or post some vague comment on facebook about how we wish we had real friends.
But the truth is a friend who will "hurt" you so you won't "harm" yourself is a true friend.
We often think hurt and harm are synonyms. Not really. There are things in life that will hurt us, but they won't harm us. It hurts my kids when I have to put them in a time-out from their computer games because they are mistreating each other. Does that hurt them? Yes, and I usually hear about it in high-pitched squeals. But does it harm them? No, it teaches them to value people.
Let's go a little deeper. There are times God will allow pain into our lives that hurts, but it doesn't harm us. In fact, it causes us to depend on Him even more. To cling to Him even more. And that is right where we should be. The most painful times in my life have been the most intimate with Father (God) and Jesus. Those times were very hurtful, but as I look at my life now, I see that those times not only didn't harm me but they have shaped me into the person I am today... more graceful, more merciful, more empathetic, more real.
I am thankful for friends who are willing to get in my face sometimes and not LET ME walk down a path that leads to harm. Do you have that kind of friend in your life? Or do you get offended and push those friends away? Remember, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."
Blessings!
9.20.2011
An Unquenchable Love
Matt Redman, one of my favorite worship leaders/songwriters, and author of The Unquenchable Worshiper, states, "Situations change for better and for worse, but God's worth never changes."
Life is full of "situations". The phone calls that make my heart race are the ones that start with the words, "There is a situation". Immediately, I wonder what's wrong. What happened? Is everything going to be okay?
Whenever I hear the sirens of a fire truck or ambulance, I immediately pray and hope for the best in what could be a horrible situation.
There have been many "situations" in my own life that seemed dire and hopeless. My first run-in with clinical depression and agoraphobia. Panic attacks. Marital infidelity. A pregnancy that was life-threatening.
All of these "situations" put me in a place of decision. Will I allow my love and trust for my Father (God) to be quenched, or will I throw myself completely into His grace and tender love for me?
"Situations" can cause us to grow bitter toward God. We all know people who are angry at God. Really angry. Most would claim to be atheists and say they don't believe God even really exists. I tend to view these folks as angry theists. They know there's a God and they are bitter toward Him. He didn't intervene in time. He didn't respond the way they thought He should. He seemed absent when they needed Him most.
Maybe you're there... maybe you are angry at God. God can handle your questions about why "situations" had to happen, but He can't allow you to love Him if you won't let Him. He will let you have your anger, even though He wants so desperately to show you His love.
Our "situations" can drive us to God or drive us away from Him. I have chosen, though not always an easy choice, to allow my love for God to not be quenched in those times of despair. God's worth to me, His love for me, His tender care toward me have caused me to persevere through tough times. He becomes more valuable to me than any family member, friend, possession, or coping mechanism when I feel hopeless.
I want to have a love for God that "always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (I Corinthians 13:7)
I choose to worship Him in the darkest situations. And I pray that you will choose the same...
Blessings!
Life is full of "situations". The phone calls that make my heart race are the ones that start with the words, "There is a situation". Immediately, I wonder what's wrong. What happened? Is everything going to be okay?
Whenever I hear the sirens of a fire truck or ambulance, I immediately pray and hope for the best in what could be a horrible situation.
There have been many "situations" in my own life that seemed dire and hopeless. My first run-in with clinical depression and agoraphobia. Panic attacks. Marital infidelity. A pregnancy that was life-threatening.
All of these "situations" put me in a place of decision. Will I allow my love and trust for my Father (God) to be quenched, or will I throw myself completely into His grace and tender love for me?
"Situations" can cause us to grow bitter toward God. We all know people who are angry at God. Really angry. Most would claim to be atheists and say they don't believe God even really exists. I tend to view these folks as angry theists. They know there's a God and they are bitter toward Him. He didn't intervene in time. He didn't respond the way they thought He should. He seemed absent when they needed Him most.
Maybe you're there... maybe you are angry at God. God can handle your questions about why "situations" had to happen, but He can't allow you to love Him if you won't let Him. He will let you have your anger, even though He wants so desperately to show you His love.
Our "situations" can drive us to God or drive us away from Him. I have chosen, though not always an easy choice, to allow my love for God to not be quenched in those times of despair. God's worth to me, His love for me, His tender care toward me have caused me to persevere through tough times. He becomes more valuable to me than any family member, friend, possession, or coping mechanism when I feel hopeless.
I want to have a love for God that "always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (I Corinthians 13:7)
I choose to worship Him in the darkest situations. And I pray that you will choose the same...
Blessings!
9.19.2011
Perpetual Pleasure vs Perpetual Hope
Samuel Johnson said, "The human mind moves not from pleasure to pleasure but from hope to hope."
Let's be real. If you have lived more than a day, you have probably had moments that were not pleasurable. Moments of disappointment, betrayal, confusion, anxiety, despair. We may be permitted to pursue happiness, but happiness rarely pursues us. Many live stressful days, weeks, years. So many are plagued by disease. Hurt by those who "love" them. Abandoned by friends and family. Drowning in a sea of financial chaos.
Sounds like something I want to sign up for...ha! We really don't get a choice. Life happens.
We do have a choice whether to choose hope in the midst of our circumstances. We may not see a way around our circumstances, but God has promised to be with us and near us as we navigate the difficulties of this life. Hope is certain of one thing. God WILL get us through. Hope helps us see a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel when all the happenings around us point to utter darkness.
So, if you find yourself today going from trial to trial, don't despair. God is taking you from hope to hope, and his hope doesn't disappoint.
Blessings!
Let's be real. If you have lived more than a day, you have probably had moments that were not pleasurable. Moments of disappointment, betrayal, confusion, anxiety, despair. We may be permitted to pursue happiness, but happiness rarely pursues us. Many live stressful days, weeks, years. So many are plagued by disease. Hurt by those who "love" them. Abandoned by friends and family. Drowning in a sea of financial chaos.
Sounds like something I want to sign up for...ha! We really don't get a choice. Life happens.
We do have a choice whether to choose hope in the midst of our circumstances. We may not see a way around our circumstances, but God has promised to be with us and near us as we navigate the difficulties of this life. Hope is certain of one thing. God WILL get us through. Hope helps us see a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel when all the happenings around us point to utter darkness.
So, if you find yourself today going from trial to trial, don't despair. God is taking you from hope to hope, and his hope doesn't disappoint.
Blessings!
1.01.2011
Forgotten...and Remembered
It's worth repeating that, "We tend to remember what we should forget and forget what we should remember." (Mark Batterson, blog)
Happy New Year!!
At the end of every year, most of us tend to reflect on the past year's accomplishments, failures, great moments, and painful memories. It's easy to relive each moment as if we were living in it once again. This can truly be both a blessing and a curse.
This year, I hope you will resolve to forget those things that need forgetting. Don't keep a list of every wrong that was done to you, every hurtful word, every argument. AND Don't keep a list of all your failures. Allow yourself to accept the past year for what it was, and walk in the blessing of a New Year, a new opportunity for God to work His purposes in your life, a new hope for the best year ever.
Also, resolve to remeber the important things. Most importantly, who you are in Christ. You are accepted, you are chosen, you are a saint, and you are dearly loved!! You are everything He has made you to be, and no less. You have a purpose and He can accomplish it through you. Don't forget to remember what Christ has done for you. His death gives you an all-access pass to the Father. That is definitely a relationship worth building in this new year!!
This year I hope you will forget what you should forget and remember what you should remember!!
Blessings!
Amanda
Happy New Year!!
At the end of every year, most of us tend to reflect on the past year's accomplishments, failures, great moments, and painful memories. It's easy to relive each moment as if we were living in it once again. This can truly be both a blessing and a curse.
This year, I hope you will resolve to forget those things that need forgetting. Don't keep a list of every wrong that was done to you, every hurtful word, every argument. AND Don't keep a list of all your failures. Allow yourself to accept the past year for what it was, and walk in the blessing of a New Year, a new opportunity for God to work His purposes in your life, a new hope for the best year ever.
Also, resolve to remeber the important things. Most importantly, who you are in Christ. You are accepted, you are chosen, you are a saint, and you are dearly loved!! You are everything He has made you to be, and no less. You have a purpose and He can accomplish it through you. Don't forget to remember what Christ has done for you. His death gives you an all-access pass to the Father. That is definitely a relationship worth building in this new year!!
This year I hope you will forget what you should forget and remember what you should remember!!
Blessings!
Amanda
10.06.2010
Do you like me? Check "yes" or "no".
It's worth repeating that "Not only has He (Jesus) released us from slavery to sin but also from the bondage of having to prove our worth".
That is a loaded statement. The world we live in is so big on SUCCESS and accomplishments that we sometimes think we have to be successful or accomplished to be valuable. Not true!
Your worth is not based on your merit, but on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
So many people spend so much time, energy, money to look valuable so they can feel valuable. But they only end up frustrated and in despair because their worth is based on what they FEEL about themselves, or how others feel about them, and feelings change with the wind.
Having to prove your worth, or be approved of by everyone, is BONDAGE!! It will chain you up and make you its slave. You will worship the idol of approval and you will pay for it. Your sleep will be disturbed, your relationships surface-level, your emotions fried. It is an empty, unfulfilled life to always be seeking approval and value.
Let me just state it clearly. You are valuable. You are acceptable. You are approved. Not because of what you've made of yourself, but because Jesus made Himself nothing, so He could free you from the bondage of approval addiction!
Stop trying to prove you are worthy, and start praising God because of who you are IN CHRIST!!
Blessings!
That is a loaded statement. The world we live in is so big on SUCCESS and accomplishments that we sometimes think we have to be successful or accomplished to be valuable. Not true!
Your worth is not based on your merit, but on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
So many people spend so much time, energy, money to look valuable so they can feel valuable. But they only end up frustrated and in despair because their worth is based on what they FEEL about themselves, or how others feel about them, and feelings change with the wind.
Having to prove your worth, or be approved of by everyone, is BONDAGE!! It will chain you up and make you its slave. You will worship the idol of approval and you will pay for it. Your sleep will be disturbed, your relationships surface-level, your emotions fried. It is an empty, unfulfilled life to always be seeking approval and value.
Let me just state it clearly. You are valuable. You are acceptable. You are approved. Not because of what you've made of yourself, but because Jesus made Himself nothing, so He could free you from the bondage of approval addiction!
Stop trying to prove you are worthy, and start praising God because of who you are IN CHRIST!!
Blessings!
9.27.2010
Ouch...That Hurts!
It's worth repeating that "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." (Proverbs 27:6)
Okay...let's be honest. None of us REALLY like constructive criticism. It's painful. It can be awkward and uncomfortable. But it is a sure sign of love from a friend.
When a friend is willing to put themselves out there to share truth with me, I may be wounded at first, but I am always better for it. I am thankful for the friends in my life who are honest with me even when it hurts.
I am not saying that we should never encourage and uplift our friends. But when it is time to say a hard thing to a friend, that shows true love. Discipline flows out of love.
I am blessed to have people in my life that are not afraid to say the hard things to me...
All wounds hurt, but wounds from a friend end up making us better, like a necessary surgical procedure. It may feel like a stab to the heart at first.. but it's not... it is the truth spoken in love, and it is an amazing gift of true friendship.
I hope you have a friend that can speak into your life... the nice words and the hard things, too..
Blessings!
Okay...let's be honest. None of us REALLY like constructive criticism. It's painful. It can be awkward and uncomfortable. But it is a sure sign of love from a friend.
When a friend is willing to put themselves out there to share truth with me, I may be wounded at first, but I am always better for it. I am thankful for the friends in my life who are honest with me even when it hurts.
I am not saying that we should never encourage and uplift our friends. But when it is time to say a hard thing to a friend, that shows true love. Discipline flows out of love.
I am blessed to have people in my life that are not afraid to say the hard things to me...
All wounds hurt, but wounds from a friend end up making us better, like a necessary surgical procedure. It may feel like a stab to the heart at first.. but it's not... it is the truth spoken in love, and it is an amazing gift of true friendship.
I hope you have a friend that can speak into your life... the nice words and the hard things, too..
Blessings!
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