More to this Life

I'm just a person with flaws, imperfections, sins, struggles, hurts, and brokenness like any other. But my Savior and Lord Jesus Chirst has made me something new and beautiful, and so I yearn for something beyond this world and life. I wanna live for eternity, and in everything I do live for my Lord.

[buildusback]

Tonight he has won.  I turn on the light so I don't feel alone.

[buildusback]

Open Letter

So if you're fighting death then raise your hand but shut up if you're not

[buildusback]

Broken Hallelujah

Just slogging through this, trying to trust the Lord's faithfulness. 

He is here, even when I cannot feel Him. 

He is moving, even when I cannot see it. 

He is working, even when it feels as if I am stuck here alone. 

He sent His Son to rescue me from this pit, and He will not allow me to wallow in my filth and emptiness. 

His grace has always been enough, and it always will be. 

My Savior hung on a cross so that I might know Him fully and have life, what more could I possibly desire? 

My failure comes in desiring lesser goods, counterfeit gods in place of the true God. 

Mistakenly believing that the creation can satisfy what the Creator Himself cannot. 

That is a lie, straight up. 

My God is more than enough to satisfy my deepest needs, heal my most excruciating hurts, cleanse my filthiest stains, reverse my most active rebellion, change my heart of passive indifference, remedy my most debilitating falls.

My God is enough.

[buildusback]

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

John 4:10

[peterdwebb]

The truth is when you cut yourself you’re trying to pay a price that was already paid. There was already someone who was cut for you. Who bled so you could feel alive again. The wounds you’re inflicting will never be enough to do what His did for you. There’s no lasting relief to be had outside of Jesus.

[buildusback]

Unchanging

I am so broken today for the brokenness of those around me!  Feeling so helpless.  All I can do is pray and try to share the love of Christ.  Move in their hearts Father!

[buildusback]

Runaway

I'm really enjoying the beautiful weather!  Needing to rely on the Lord these last couple weeks so I can focus on Him and finishing the semester well, even though I'd rather be outside all day:)

[buildusback]

Heroes and Cowards

Too often I am the latter of the two...even at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I sink in on myself rather than open up the love of Jesus Christ to others.  Classic hypocrite.

[buildusback]

Gratitude

So thankful today for the Lord's protection in my life!  He has protected me when I've been in compromising situations; He is the only thing that saved me from a lot of mistakes and hurt!  Blessed be your name Lord! <3 Thank You for Your protection, faithfulness! I can't even comprehend all you've done for me.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

Standing firm on the Lord's promises today!

[buildusback]

The Journey to the Grey Havens

Sometimes I don't have words. 

Sometimes I can barely formulate thoughts. 

Sometimes I am devoid of emotion. 

Sometimes I feel empty. 

Sometimes in silence the world feels the loudest. 

Sometimes I feel the most alone when I'm surrounded by people. 

Sometimes I feel like I'm falling.

Failing.

Losing. 

Sometimes I can't see what God's doing while I'm in it. 

Sometimes music can speak to me on a level no words can. 

God can use anything.  I will look back on this time of my life, this moment, and see how God was moving.  I can't see it now.  It's hard to trust and far too easy to doubt. 

My God is faithful--He NEVER lets me go. 

The lies permeate my thoughts, they seep into my ideas...but the Truth is strong.  The Truth is here and now and forever. 

I am worthy; not of my own merit, but because of the price Jesus Christ paid for me.

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

[thehipsterandthehymn-blog]

Sometimes opening up to people is scary.

There are feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness when you feel too broken to be good for someone.

This poem came out of that struggle inside of me.

The struggle to pretend to be someone I’m not, or to show the real me and risk the vulnerability.

Check out more poems at http://www.facebook.com/thehymn

[buildusback]

This is really speaking to me today, in God showing me the consequences of my sin and what that will mean for future relationships.  My God is good, though, and I know that He will heal my hurts and prepare me for the man He'll provide.  I can't change what I've done, but with God's help I can focus on Him for what I will do.

[buildusback]

Well Done

My God is here, even when I cannot feel Him.  He is true, even when I doubt.  He is carrying me, even when I feel so exhausted.  My God is here.

[buildusback]

The Great Love Story

Praise the Lord! He is my faithful finisher, the Restorer!  Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness even through our sin; for repairing and strengthening relationships!  That a man I had wronged so could look on me with forgiveness because he is a man of God is so encouraging.  Brothers and sisters, build one another up in affirmation and encouragement!  A kingdom divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25), so build one another up through the love of Christ!  In the midst of failures and sin there is healing through Lord for his children:)  What a colossal relief!

[buildusback]

Right in Front of Me

I was enjoying my birthday yesterday, surrounded by friends and strangers at a worship session hosted by a friend, when BAM!  The Holy Spirit came and did exactly what I've been praying for in the past weeks: He convicted me of more of the sin in my life.  There is something equally beautiful and wretched in this.  That I keep screwing up, despite the grace of Christ, reminds me that I on my own am wretched and sinful, and only through the blood of Christ am I clean!  The beauty comes through the growth God causes when we obey Him and turn from sin.

My specific conviction, however, is one which has always been a struggle for me.  The Lord is asking me to apologize to a brother in Christ who I have sinned against: I have gossiped about this man, judged him, slandered him, and just been plain rude and cruel.  This conviction to apologize, also brings up my pride issue...I don't like to apologize, it makes me feel silly, foolish, and embarrassed, which is exactly what I am.  I need to keep apologizing to those I've hurt so the Lord can humble me and help me to think before I do or say things that are sinful and hurtful to others.  I'm praying that the Lord will heal the wounds I've caused in this relationship through humbling me and helping me to both apologize and resist the temptation to fall into these things again.

"So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-24 ESV

[buildusback]

Build Us Back

When the thief takes, when our hope caves, You build us back!

Standing firm on this promise today!  My God is good, no matter what my circumstances.  He is calling me to place my trust in Him and to remain faithful.  No matter what.  As my Savior hung on the cross in a condition no human being will ever understand--as all of our fears and failure clung to Him, as He felt the weight of the world on His shoulders and complete abandonment from the Father--He remained faithful and true.  Yes, I have struggles, but in light of eternity, they are worth overcoming!  As Jesus tells us in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Praise the Lord that Christ has overcome the world and taken victory over the grave!  My God is good, NO MATTER WHAT.

[thehipsterandthehymn-blog]

It was Saturday. The sun was shining like I hadn’t seen for months. Spring was approaching, birds were chirping, and you would have thought as I stood on that sidewalk gazing at the front door that everything was perfect.

It wasn’t.

The Monday before, tragedy struck, death swooped in and rocked...

[buildusback]

Take Me There

Give me peace for the moment, when the weight of this world starts weighing on me hard.  You provide, you know, you take care of me.

Psalm 139