#drawingnear

[m1ssrah]

#Repost @johnbevere with @get_repost ・・・ Deception awaits those who lack the fear of the Lord and seek their will over God’s, while intimacy awaits those who draw near in holy fear. The outward evidence of this is unconditional obedience to the desires of God; not only do we obey, but we have the heart to fulfill His will. #DrawingNear

[takethisheartofmine]

"The times when no one will answer the phone or no one seems to be available to lend a shoulder on which to cry on are the times in my life when I have experienced the most intimacy with my Savior God." . . There's something about living in the city that can somehow seem so fulfilling and exciting in one way, yet suffocating and isolating in another. It's a vibrant place filled with things to do and sights to see, and yet there’s always a hunger for something more, something greater…there always seems to be some sort of gap or emptiness we seek to fill. . . The more time I spend here, the more I realize that the “greater” thing/person I’m seeking can only be found in God, in the only One whose “love is better than life” (Psalm 63:3). Ambition fades, relationships change, and people move on, but God is the one constant we can always rely on. . . Don’t feel like writing much more today, but wherever or however you are, I hope you’re able to experience the intimate love of Christ. It will blow you away, far more than the fleeting beauty and awe of the city. (Though it is quite breathtaking, I'll admit 🙃). Happy Wednesday. . . #randomreflections #nyc #citythatneversleeps #searchingforsomething #drawingnear #inHislove #thatviewthough #sunset #summer (at Brooklyn Heights)

[takethisheartofmine]

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 . . . It's pretty natural for us to place other people and/or things on a pedestal, sometimes even placing them above God (or rather, they become our god). According to my pastor back home, this happens when we make a good thing an "ultimate" thing, causing it to take up more room in our hearts than God does. . . . For the longest time, that "ultimate" thing in my life was dance. It was one of the first things that came to mind when I woke up in the mornings, and one of the last things on my heart as I fell asleep. My love (and obsession) for dance became so great that it even began to (negatively) impact my relationships with family, friends, and loved ones. Some people called it passion, but deep down I knew it was gradually becoming an idol. By the time I reached high school, ballet had become my life and identity. . . . I won't go into too much detail, but in a series of dramatic and somewhat heartbreaking events, God eventually took away this idol, and caused me to consider what or who was really the center of my heart. In placing ballet above everything and everyone else, I had lost sight of my true identity, which was ultimately rooted in God's love, not ballet. . . . This story has a happy ending, though (or so I like to believe). :) Although the past several years of high school into college were some of the most isolating, confusing, and challenging ones, God sent people and opportunities into my life who not only demonstrated the healing and transformative power of God's love, but also helped reignite my passion for God...AND for dance. Though I have no idea where He is leading me next, I know I can trust Him, the One who is now and forever the greatest treasure of my heart. #rootedinHislove #kingofmyheart #drawingnear #trustinHim #Hispromisesaregood #firstLove #treasured #allthingsnew #testimony #dancingforhisglory #lent #40days #day9 #whatsnext

[takethisheartofmine]

"If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you?" 1 John 3:17 . . . Walking along the streets of New York, it can be easy to grow accustomed to the idea of poverty and homelessness as the "norm." Not only do we begin to ignore those begging on the streets; at times we even have the gall to judge and make assumptions about whether or not they "need" our help, or if they are just being "manipulative" or "lazy." In any case, we conveniently choose to forget the Scripture that calls us to "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27) . . . When I went to Haiti for a missions trip last summer, God not only revealed the physical needs of these people, but also used these men, women, and children to demonstrate the power of having compassion and love towards our brothers and sisters. God used the people there--particularly the children--to sharply remind me that it is often the perceived "poor, weak, and needy" who are in fact richer and stronger in spirit than anyone else. Thus, it was not simply an act of obedience to provide and care for them, but an act of love for our brothers and sisters. Although our church went to Haiti with the intention of helping the people there, God instead used the experience to transform *our* lives and hearts through His incredible love and compassion. . . . From time to time, I still slip into the tendency to walk past a homeless person without even blinking. And yet, the more I come to know God, the more His Spirit compels me to turn around, retrace my steps, and bless the person in any way I can. . . . Although I know full well the temptation to ignore the broken, the blind, the homeless and the poor, if we truly know and experience the love of Christ, how can we dare to turn away those in need? His love should *compel* us to generously provide for our brothers and sisters, no matter the cost. In doing so, we begin to get a glimpse of the true heart of God, and experience His love and His light more deeply and powerfully than we could ever imagine. #heartofGod #drawingnear #compassion #loveyourneighbor #noholdingback #lent #40days #day8 (at Carrefour, Ouest)

[takethisheartofmine]

"When we know and believe God's mercies are new every morning, each new day becomes a gracious gift from God, and we ought to treat it as such." . . . Sometimes I fail to recognize that every day I'm alive and well is a gift in itself. In the day-to-day feelings of distress, discomfort, confusion, disappointment, hurt, grief, frustration, hopelessness, etc., I easily lose sight of God's incredible love and grace for me, focusing on what I don't have rather than on what He has freely given me. It is common in these moments to turn to bible verses such as "His grace is sufficient", but how often do we realize that He gives us immeasurably more than what we could ever ask for or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)? His love, grace, and the abundant life He has given us are more than enough reason to be thankful. . . . Whatever you're experiencing today, take a moment to thank God for simply being alive and surrounded by His love. ❤ It's important to acknowledge your struggles of course, but by praising and worshipping God, we center our hearts on the presence of His constant, eternal love, and not on our fleeting, sometimes fickle emotions. #neweverymorning #psalm118 #thankfultobealive #21years #rejoice #beglad #heisfaithful #rootedinHislove #drawingnear #lent #40days #day6 (at Baba Yega)

[takethisheartofmine]

"In our alienation from God we look to things like work, friendships, politics, appearance, and marital status to provide a sense of security, value, and identity that only God can bring. But our identity must be anchored to the truth of who God is and who He says we are; only then can those things be an expression of our God-given identity, not the source of it." . . . . I feel like there's a constant pressure to look at other sources--friends, family, career, etc.--for affirmation and approval. In the past few days alone, I've realized how easy it is for me to get caught up in what others think of me, whether or not I'm living up to others' (or even my own) expectations...and it's honestly exhausting. It makes me wonder whether or not my identity is truly rooted in God and His profound love for me, or if maybe it's really rooted in other things (worldly expectations/standards, my passion for dance, my reputation, etc.). Are there any things/people in your life that perhaps take up more space in your heart and mind than God does? What or Who is your identity anchored in? May God bring clarity and truth as we ground ourselves in how He--and no one/nothing else--sees and loves us. #lent #40days #day3 #drawingnear #identity #idols #treasured #worthy #stayingrootedinHislove (at Hermann Park)