On You I Wait

Psalm 25:5  

[onyouiwait]

I love days we can play outside. I’m thankful our God created such a beautiful place for us to live and enjoy each day. #outsideplay #thankful #sahmlife #lukeaaronbuck https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZYXRtAM1F/?igshid=9qtjki1vcab0

[onyouiwait]

Today God reminded me of His goodness. This song called Goodness of God came across my playlist this morning and I can’t stop thinking of how good God is. He’s been with me all my life and He’s always been faithful and good. He was there for me when He created the universe the way that He did. He was there for me 2000 years ago when He died in order to pay a debt I owed. He was there for me when He formed me. He was there every time I lost someone I loved and it hurt like crazy. He was there for me every time I had my feelings hurt by a friend. He was there for me every time I was scared of the dark laying in bed at night. He was there for me when I celebrated a new achievement. He was there for me when I did something good. He was there for me when I did something I shouldn’t have. He was there for me when my baby was born and needed help breathing and when the doctors said he needed to have a procedure done in order for him to get the oxygen he needed. He was there for me when my baby finally got to come home. He reminded me today that He was there for me all the days before, He is there for me today, and He will be with me tomorrow and everyday after that. He was there when I breathed my first breath and He will be there when I breathe my last. He will be there when I get to heaven and celebrate all of Gods goodness every second of all of eternity. “I’ve known you as a Father, I’ve known you as a friend. And I have lived in the goodness of God... All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.”- Goodness of God by Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson #goodnessofGod #Heisthereforallmydays #bethelmusic #jennjohnson #onyouiwait #psalm145v5and6and7 #Heguidesme #myFather #myFriend #mysavior #mycomforter #mycreator #yourgoodnessisrunningafterme https://www.instagram.com/p/B71sU66g-e8/?igshid=15m9dictuwy6j

[onyouiwait]

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope you all had a great thanksgiving last week. I dedicated last week to giving thanks for God’s amazing creation. He made the world so beautiful and full of amazing plants, landscapes and sunsets and sunrises. He did that for us and to show us how much He loves us. I’m so thankful for the beautiful scenery He has given us. • • • I decided to put my study of Revelation on hold for the next few weeks and focus instead on the book of Luke. Like many others, I am reading a chapter of Luke each day leading up to Christmas. This is a great way to remind yourself why we celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ each year. I would encourage you to do this with me and share what God is teaching you this Christmas season. Also Life Hack: This is a great way to help you get into the Christmas spirit. Especially when it’s still 77 degrees outside and doesn’t really feel like Christmas yet. (Everyone in the south knows what I’m talking about) #givethanks #Jesusisthereasonfortheseason #Christmas #ThebookofLuke #happythursday #onyouiwait https://www.instagram.com/p/B5sa8aag3YI/?igshid=n8a4uvl7yh11

[onyouiwait]

This week I am focusing on giving thanks for God’s word. I think that it is so easy to take for granted that God has given and allowed us to read His word and to be spoken to and transformed by Him through His word. Especially for those who have grown up in the church and had a bible to read from since they were children, myself included. It is easy to forget what an honor it is to be spoken to by the most high God. The one who created the entire universe, despite all my sin and all He knows about me, allows me to come into His presence and read from His word. It is such an honor and incredibly humbling to know that He loves me enough to provide me with wisdom through His word. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path ~Psalm 119:105~ What are you thankful for this week? Are you allowing God to speak to you through His word today? • • • • • I am also especially thankful for my brother this week because his birthday is tomorrow. He is one of the most loving people I know. He cares a whole lot for everyone he knows and loves deeply. Happy early birthday, brother! #psalm119105 #lampandlight #Godsword #thankful #thanksgiving #onyouiwait #hbdbrother #whatareyouthankfulfor https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Aoa8Pg-GP/?igshid=l6m40huquyzf

[onyouiwait]

This week I am especially grateful for the many men and women who have sacrificed their lives for this country. They have given up their freedom so we could be free and have the many privileges they do not get to experience everyday. Thank you to all who have or are currently serving in the United States Military. Thank you for answering the call to serve this country. We love you and appreciate all you do for us! 🇺🇸#happyveteransday #november11 #USA #Godblessamerica #thelandofthefreebecauseofthebrave #john1513 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4vV_gbgduT/?igshid=1nn4uovlb4vci

[onyouiwait]

It’s thanksgiving season y’all and I love it! I love the fall decorations, cooler weather (which is only every other day here in South Texas) and I love reading everyone’s posts about what they are thankful for this year. This year I am going to devote each week to prayer of thanksgiving for one specific thing. The Bible says that we are to devote our selves to prayer and to not only be watchful but also to be thankful. Join me in being intentionally thankful in prayer this month. This week I am especially thankful for the family God has given me. I am thankful to live in the same town as a majority of my family and I am thankful to be surrounded by a family that loves the Lord. I am grateful to have married into a family that loves the Lord just as much and I am thankful that my son will grow up with great Christian influence and love from both sides of the family. My family has had a major impact on my life and my relationship with Christ and that is something I will always be thankful for. Tell me in the comments below what you are thankful for this first week of the thanksgiving season! https://www.instagram.com/p/B4hvHMDAaAd/?igshid=1w96obkvse3ve

[onyouiwait]

I have been studying the book of Revelation this past week which is something I think I had been sort of avoiding. Revelation is packed with so much information that can be hard to understand and I think part of me was afraid I would begin reading this book and be overwhelmed or just very confused. However, I know that The Holy Spirit will and has helped me to understand His word. I am so glad I started reading this book because it has reminded me and encouraged me to join heaven in singing praises to the King of all creation, the Lamb who was slain, the Lion of Judah, our Lord and God, Jesus Christ. Beginning in verse 9 of chapter 5 it says, “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and the open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”” We are a people who need a savior to pay the price of our sins. Without a savior we are totally unworthy to enter into heaven and spend an eternity with God. Jesus Christ is the lamb who was slain and paid that ransom for all people of every nation. In verses 11 and 12 it says, “Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads (hundreds of millions) and thousands of thousands, saying in a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”” I want to join in with heaven singing praise to the one who paid my debt and made a way for me to be called worthy. God loves us so much He was willing to do whatever it took to save us, including death on a cross. He took the shame, the suffering, the humiliation, the torture, the death that we were supposed to take. A sinless savior paid the price of a sinful people. He is worthy to be praised and I will join the angels in heaven singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!” #revelation #worthyisthelamb #singpraise #onyouiwait #holyholyholy #LordGodAlmighty #singanewsong https://www.instagram.com/p/B4PsK4uH1bb/?igshid=1rd2sr7ms17bl

[onyouiwait]

HEAR it is... 😂 In my last post I talked about the HEAR method and how it works. I also promised my next post would be about how this method helped me to see a passage a little bit differently. Last week I read from Mark 6:14-44 and part of this passage is a story about Jesus feeding the 5000 with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. When this story begins Jesus and His disciples are very tired from all the work they have been doing and are leaving to go find a place to rest. However, the people followed them wanting Jesus to teach them. Instead of sending them away so He could rest, Jesus looked at them and felt compassion for them, so He preached. Then as time passed he noticed they were getting hungry so He asked His disciples to get food to feed them but all they had was 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and there were over 5000 people there listening to Jesus teach. Jesus blessed the food and fed every person and still had some left over. Through this passage God reminder me that He is always with me and just like He taught the 5000 when they came to Him, He will do that for me. Every morning when I go to be alone with God and read from His word I ask Him to speak to me through His word and teach me. He always teaches me something. It may be something I’ve always known but need to be reminded of or it may be something new. Sometimes He teaches me things I am asking Him to help me with and sometimes it’s something I didn’t know I needed to learn. I am also reminded that just like Jesus provided for the 5000, He will provide for me too. The Bible says, He has given us all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and this passage reminded me of that. I can respond by coming to God with all things trusting He will provide and knowing that He is listening when I call. I will give thanks to God for all He has done for me and for speaking to me every morning through His word. https://www.instagram.com/p/B349nQNAooE/?igshid=14vf90lejumvd

[onyouiwait]

I have been reading through 1st John and today spent time studying chapter 4. I am able to learn so much from God’s word by studying it everyday. I would encourage you, if you haven’t already, to begin spending time alone with God and read through His word everyday. Pray and ask God to give you wisdom as you read, ask Him to speak to you and transform you to be more like Him, take notes and read over them for better understanding. God provided us with His word for a reason and it is important for us to take advantage of that gift and use it. In verses 1-6 of 1 John chapter 4, we are told to test every spirit because there are many false prophets in the world trying to make us believe one way or another. In fact, in verse 3 we are told that the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world. So how do we know who to listen to and what to believe? “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.” Beginning in verse 4 we are given some words of encouragement, reminding us that as followers of Christ we are of God and have overcome these false prophets. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Make a plan to spend time in God’s word and get to know Him better so that you will be able to discern what is true and what is not. You can stand confident in Christ knowing He is in you has already overcome it all. Thank you God for giving us wisdom and guidance through your word. If you need help making or finding a daily reading plan dm me or comment below for help. #onyouiwait #1john44 #hehasovercometheworld #wisdom #testeveryspirit #timealonewithGod https://www.instagram.com/p/B3W_Tn_AekS/?igshid=11ut57uknmyih

[onyouiwait]

I am so grateful for a God who loves me so much He died for me. I am nowhere near perfect. I’ve made a million mistakes and will probably make a million more but He says that my sins “[He] will remember no more”. I have found peace in this promise. Thank you Jesus for giving yourself as a perfect sacrifice to pay the price I couldn’t pay for my sins so that I could be with you forever. I love you! ❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/B2y4BpqAOQd/?igshid=1u1uzrfhuxmug

[onyouiwait]

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16 Christ knows what it’s like to be tired. He knows what it’s like to be tempted. He knows what it’s like to hurt. He knows what it’s like to suffer. Whatever you’re going through, bring it the Lord boldly. If it’s sin, come to Him and receive forgiveness of sin. If it’s temptation, come to Him and He will provide a way out. If it’s hurt, come to Him and He will give comfort. If it’s suffering, come to Him and he will provide healing. He is the only one who knows exactly how you feel and what you’re going through. He is the author of all creation and He wants to be with you because He loves you deeply. Let Him be with you. https://www.instagram.com/p/B2jcOmdAgBw/?igshid=1cwmozns4vkif

[onyouiwait]

These verses really stuck out to me today. What an encouragement. You, Lord, laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands. God is in control. This is His world whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. This is so encouraging to me and should be to anyone who chooses to follow Jesus Christ. People have failed me. Things have not always gone my way. (Sometimes for the better) However, I have this truth, this is not my world but God’s and He is incredibly faithful. Then beginning in verse 11 it says, “They will perish, but you remain.... they will all wear out....they will be changed....But You remain the same and Your years will never end.” Even when everything seems to be going wrong, when I feel completely out control of the things going on around me, I know that there is at least one thing that is for sure and will never ever change. This is God’s world, He is faithful, loving, and ALWAYS has my and your best interest at heart. When I have no control, He has all control. When it’s not my will be done, it is His will be done. He is my hope in the good and the bad. Thank you, Jesus! Personal story: Last week was a hard week with my little Luke. He turned one and from one day to the next decided naps were the worst and would not nap any longer than 30 minutes max. He was very tired and cranky and this momma needed a break. He cried, I cried. We were just both worn out. Even in this week that seemed to never end, I knew one thing, God could fix it and it wouldn’t last forever. Things change, but God doesn’t. Today Luke slept till 8 am for the first time in 7 days and I am sure things are turning around. When I can’t seem to help my boy feel better, God sure can. Even when I can help him, it’s only because God gave me the ability to. I am a thankful momma this morning! #Godisfaithful #momlife #thankful #hebrews11011and12 https://www.instagram.com/p/B2MS-bXAHRR/?igshid=1ozqiy1z8hhhd

[onyouiwait]

It is so important as followers of Christ to be in God’s word daily. He speaks to us through His word. It is always true, always relevant and never changing. I am thankful for the time God has given me every morning to be alone with Him to learn more about Him and to hear from Him. What is God teaching you today? What are you currently studying from His word? In the last couple of days I have read from 1 Thessalonians, a letter of encouragement to the church of the Thessalonians. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1_mgKPAJ86/?igshid=13fwfcc37fa1p

[onyouiwait]

I am thankful that God allows me to come into His presence daily and read from His word which is always true, always relevant, and never changing. #psalm255 #leadmeandteachme #onyouiwait #thankful https://www.instagram.com/p/B1v9qRrl-Wv/?igshid=1ugk0bz1lr0vd

[onyouiwait]

My dad has taught me many things throughout my life. The most significant being the love of Christ Jesus. He did this in many ways. Firstly, he was and always has been an example of that love through his actions. Second, he prayed with me daily and shared stories of how God had loved him. I remember my dad sharing this story with me at a pretty young age and it has always stuck with me. He had just been in a fishing tournament with some friends and like many other times before they prayed together before beginning. They prayed for safety and a good time but this time chose to ask God to allow for them to win. My dad said as they prayed this he thought to himself, “Oh brother, God doesn’t care about a dumb fishing tournament.” However, God had an important message for him that day. This message would become quite the testimony. At the end of the day, when all the fish were weighed and counted (or whatever they do to decide who wins 🤷🏻‍♀️), they had won first place! My dad had learned and in turn taught to me that God cares so deeply for us, we can come to Him with anything, absolutely anything. It doesn’t matter how big or how small, He cares. God has the power to do ALL things. Really, it seems kind of insulting to not come to Him with even the small stuff. God wants to be apart of every aspect of our lives so let’s allow Him to be. 1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Other versions of this scripture say, “because He cares for you.” Because He cares for us, He listens to our prayers. Because He cares for us, He provides for us. Because He cares for us, He forgave us. Because He loves us, He died for us. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1t0F2BlKNU/?igshid=we1zdlshxl92

[onyouiwait]

For All People

Tonight, God briefly diverted my eyes away from from what I had planned to read from His word to something I can only believe to be a passage God had planned for me to read. 

I had started out by reading through an exert from Sarah Young’s, Jesus Calling. One of the verses she had marked out to read was 1 Timothy 8 which says, “Therefore I want all the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.” This stuck out to me because my pastor had just preached on the importance of prayer last week so this had already been on my mind. I noticed that this verse started out with the word “therefore” so I decided to read the previous verses to find out what God’s servant Paul was speaking about here. Wow! God spoke very clearly to me through this passage. 

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. That is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time” v.8: “Therefore I want all the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.” 1 Timothy 2:1-6 & 8.

Three times he says “all people”.

1.”petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for ALL PEOPLE” 

              God doesn’t say pray and intercede for only people you like and agree with. He says ALL PEOPLE, “for kings and ALL those in authority”. God calls us to pray for the people who we disagree with or even dislike. This includes the politicians who make you so angry because they keep doing or saying things you find absurd. We should be in prayer for our president, our congressmen and women, our speaker of the house, our governors, and “all those in authority”.  “That we may live peaceful and quiet lives”. I don’t think anyone would describe this country as “peaceful and quiet”. What do you think? The people of this nation could live peacefully if we all just prayed for each other no matter what and loved each other with no conditions attached. “That is good, and it pleases God our Savior”. 

2.”it pleases God our Savior, who wants ALL PEOPLE to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”

               God doesn’t say pray for the salvation of only some people because I only want some people to be saved and to know the truth. Absolutely not! He says He wants “ALL PEOPLE to be saved” and to know His truth. It is so hard to pray for the salvation of someone you really don’t like but on the other hand is your dislike for someone really worth allowing them to deny Christ and spend an eternity in hell away from Him?! If so, and in the words of John Crist, “check your heart”! Your Father in Heaven “WANTS ALL PEOPLE”. He doesn’t just want the person you voted into office or the person who is nice to you or the person who never disagrees with you. He wants us all! Intercede and pray for their salvation and knowledge of Christ!

3. “the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for ALL PEOPLE”

                God didn’t say He only gave His life for a select few, He said He gave his life “for ALL PEOPLE”. It is not our job to decide who gets to hear about salvation through Christ Jesus. We are not the judge of men but the workers of the God, allowing Him to work through us to further His kingdom. “For there is only one God and one mediator between God and mankind”. It is not our kingdom and it was not our lives that were sacrificed. Who are we, who sent Christ to die a painful death because of our sins, to decide who should and shouldn’t have a place in heaven? How incredibly selfish of us to keep that amazing good news to ourselves. We should be in constant prayer, petitioning for the salvation of ALL PEOPLE in all places and to every inch of the earth. 

Then in verse 8 he says, “Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.” God wants us to pray for ALL PEOPLE even those we dislike “without anger or dispute”. Not only should we be in prayer for ALL PEOPLE but we should be doing so with a happy heart. I can’t tell you how many times as a child my mom told me to do something with a happy heart. She would say, “Obey, right away, and with a happy heart.” She would tell me to clean my room and I would complain so I was reminded to obey and do so with a happy heart. She would tell me to apologize to my siblings and to do so without grumbling. Just like we are expected as children to obey our parents “without anger or dispute”, we are expected to obey God. 

I am so glad I had parents, grandparents, and close friends praying and petitioning for my salvation even while God was still forming me in my mothers womb. There is a song by Hilsong Worship which states, “You’ve been so so good to me. Oh, to think where I would be, if not for you, if not for you.” Where would I be without Christ? I am nothing without Him. Psalm 16:2 says, “I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” There is nothing good apart from God. Who are we took keep Him from others? 

Thank you Jesus for saving me through your death and resurrection and for surrounding me with people who shared the knowledge of your truth with me! I cannot wait to wrap my arms around you and kiss your feet as you welcome me into your kingdom! 

[onyouiwait]

He is The Way Out

Today one of the passages I read from my Bible was Luke 4:1-13. In this passage Jesus is fasting in the wilderness where the devil met Him for forty days to tempt Him. The devil knew that Jesus was the Son of God and He would save the world. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to get Him to sin but he tried anyways. This was his chance to ruin God’s plan, he had to give it a shot. Jesus being fully human while also being fully God was tempted just like we are every day to sin but because His focus was on the Father, He was provided a way out of every temptation. 2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” God has called us to Him and He will always provide a way out of temptation and sin. 

Jesus was meant to be an example to us for how to live our lives. 1 Peter 2:21 says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an  example, that you should follow in his steps.” When we are tempted throughout the day and we aren’t sure what’s ahead or where to go, we can look to Jesus as an example and ask God to show us the way. When Jesus was tempted He turned to the Father and fought off the devil through His word. God already knows what is to come so we can trust in His plan every time. 

It is an amazing blessing to know that the devil and his army can chase after me and tempt me every day but as long as I turn to God and have Him on my side, there is nothing the devil can do to break me down. God is with me every day and there is nothing that can separate me from Him. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) He is my protection and my way out of every temptation. Thank you Jesus!