longing for heaven and home...

as i drove home today... this first verse seemed to speak to exactly what i was feeling.
....there was some craziness that happened today that made me just long for heaven's gates.  Oh how depraved this world is.  How full of greed, hate, anger, depression, sadness, confusion, sickness and death it is... to which all are linked to sin.  What a glorious day it will be when our Lord returns & darkness no long has dominion!


...but in reality, as i meditate on these things, Satan, sin and death have already been dealt with on the cross, right?  It seems to me that it made a way for us to choose life over death, which before the option was not available for us.  We can now choose to live by the Holy Spirit, instead of by the rules of sin, satan, and death aka the ways of the world.  However, these things are still very present around us in the world, but the key is to keep our eyes fixed on the things above ... and to remember that we are in this world, but not of it, "we're just a passing through".

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." -Colossians 3:1-4   

praise be to Jesus.  let us seek the things that are above...and set our minds on things that are above. For to be hidden in Christ is our glory, through His death burial and resurrection, we are In Christ Jesus.

but there is a Day coming, when Satan and sin and suffering will be no longer... and what a beautiful day that will be!  A day of rejoicing! Let our hearts be glad, because His eye is on the sparrow, and He will one day return for His bride.  :)  Praise be to our Lord!

gnight :).

letting go.

I am so thankful for the last week, and the abundance of grace that the Lord has poured out on me.  I feel like this renewing that has happened in my spirit, is nothing of what I have done, but must be due to the Lord relentlessly pursuing after me.  What a gracious, loving, merciful heavenly Father we have.

finally being able to truly come before him without the world getting in the way...
...it's amazing the peace that His presence brings.  It's amazing that when one truly enters into His love and understands His Lordship, how little and insignificant everything else becomes.
I was striving, and working to pursue something "good".  ... and now I know I must pursue only God, who is the only One who is good.
"My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God;
'Tis His to lead me there—not mine, but His—
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road."

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/nt/350#ixzz1b13qh4xH

Be sovereign, Oh Lord.  Take back the crown that we have taken from you for too long, and take your place on the throne of our hearts.  Have Your way in us, and help us to surrender to it in joy.  :). 

May our sole pursuit be You and Your Kingdom.   

done with me.

sometimes i just really need to learn to deny myself.  and i think for each of us we can say God gives us ample opportunity to do so.  ....but often times we are so blind in our own selfish ways of doing things, blind to our own manipulative ways we have of drowning out God's voice.
.... but how refreshing is it... when a brother or sister comes and points out something off in our lives that seems so obvious to them.  Thank the Lord that our brothers and sisters are the ones who keep us accountable, who sharpen us, and who help keep us on the straight and narrow and get us back in the Lord, when we may have been caught up in ourselves for too long, and lost in our own train of thought.

tonight i just feel like i need to be done thinking, done evaluating, done analyzing, done with me and my head, my ideas of what is right and wrong, done with my ideas of what is good and bad, done with me perceptions of this world. done with my interpretations. and just done with me.

Jesus is all.

            .... so why am I wasting time.... trying to glorify myself.... i'm just making a fool of me that's all.

Jesus is all.

            ...so why do i spend so much time planning, and deciphering, weighing options, and just getting caught up in the details.

Jesus is EVerything

      ... so shut up already Jess and let him do His thing!



May all glory and honor and praises be unto Him who sits on the throne.

:).
i love my Maker.
He is so very patient, and so very kind.
And so willing to change us, by doing whatever it takes.
:)
And I'm am so blessed to be a part of the Body of Christ.

gnight friends.

sickly = time to reflect...

...i have now been sickly for at least two days.... the typical cold.... sore throat, runny nose, congestion that makes you sound like one of the looney tunes :-p, and an intermittent low-grade fever... now the cough is starting :-/.

but i really feel like it's all due to me pushing myself too hard in the last week or two... staying up too late when i knew i should have gone to bed earlier... trying to be superhero to everyone else.. and trying to fix my own dilemma's with my own strength.

... in actuality I can really thank the Lord that he has allowed me to get sick, because I feel it to be some sort of discipline for me to get back on track with Him... and actually listen to what He has to say. And to also gives me a break from the craziness of this world and living inside the complicated thoughts in my own head....

....that i might just be still and know that He is God.

after 2 days of illness... i'm finally feeling the Lord's presence closer, and finally feeling refreshed. In this it is clear that it is the Lord's doing... because is it normal to feel better after getting sick? haha. I love Jesus, and the wonderful ways He works. He knows exactly what we need at the time we need it. And He will do whatever to win us back to Him, praise His glorious Name! :).

...sometimes He lets everything come crashing down at once so He'll get our attention. He might bring confusing situations... or illness.... or ...ahem.. a broken vehicle ... .. or even those times of loneliness where everyone you would have wanted to talk with seems busy... etc etc etc....you fill in the blank.

But if we take a step back, surely it is all because He is after our hearts ... and these situations teach us to be after His. ...after His heart that is.

He knows what buttons to push in order to get us to come back to Him... sometimes i feel like i am so incredibly stubborn... it takes quite a few buttons. But thank the Lord in His mercy, He disciplines us. :)

Be blessed this night in knowing that all things work together for the good of those who Love God and are called according to His purpose...

... because He is the one putting the puzzle together, not us ... may we learn once again to say ... "yes, Lord".. and submit to His glorious, perfect will....which in the End will be soooo worth it.

....but even just His presence today is enough :). Thank you, Jesus.