If...

“If in the prayer closet you can say, ‘Father Thy will be done,’ you’ll have no problem on the cross saying, ‘Father forgive them’.”  -Warren Wiersbe

As We Remember

I just learned of the passing of a great man.  My pastor for over 20 years, Pastor Chuck Smith.  I rejoice with others that he is in Paradise with the God he loved, in a new body no longer having to fight cancer.  I also mourn with so many at the loss here on earth.  His smile and joy and heart for the lost was amazing.  He taught at church last Sunday, the man would not stop until our Father called him home.  What a legacy he has left behind.  

My quote for today is from The Chronicles of Narnia - The Last Battle, by C.S. Lewis.   Seems to be perfect as Pastor Chuck has begun this new chapter "of the Great Story which no one on earth has read".

“And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” 
C.S. Lewis

Wake Up!

“A desire for God which cannot break the chains of sleep is a weak thing…The desire for God that keeps so far behind the devil and the world at the beginning of the day will never catch up.”  

- EM Bounds
– Power Through Prayer

A Living Sacrifice

"God nowhere tells us to give up things for the sake of giving them up. He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having – viz, life with Himself...It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a "living sacrifice,"  to let Him have all your powers that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus. This is the thing that is acceptable to God." 
-Oswald Chambers

We Serve a Creative God

Today I went to this awesome conference at church titled, Your Origins Matter.  It really was an amazing day.  I learned a lot about what I expected to learn a lot about....creationism vs. evolution.  But what surprised me the most, was how every speaker touched on one of my own favorite things to say....WE SERVE A CREATIVE GOD.   I'm not really going to elaborate on it tonight....but I left the conference with a smile on my face...our God is so incredible and so amazing and He loves details...I feel like say that all the time...but it was truly inspiring to learn even more about what an amazing Creator God we serve.  

grace and peace on your hearts tonight...

Rest Safely

"Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. 

Peace does not dwell in outward things,
but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things
safely in His hands."

-Elizabeth Elliot

La Revedere 33!

"You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance."

Psalm 65:11 

Another year has come and gone...I had to take my traditional "walking out the door leaving the old behind and walking into the new year" photo.  ha.

It has been a year with much to be thankful for.  It has also been a year of much pain.  Life is life and with that comes so many things that are out of our control.  So many things done by others that have an impact on us personally.  But God is ALWAYS FAITHFUL.  Truly.  

I have been home from Romania for 3 years now.  Each year that goes by I can see in hindsight why the Lord has had me home.  I have learned so much at my job at the women's shelter.  I have grown personally and spiritually.  I can also see how I have had to be around literally, for family and friends.  

God really does know what He is doing and I can rest in that.  He has honestly crowned this past year of my life with His goodness, He has provided abundantly for me, and I do feel as though my paths are overflowing and "dripping" with abundance from Him both materially and spiritually.  What an awesome God we serve!

So, I say la revedere - goodbye - to my 33rd year and look forward to all that the Lord has in store for me as I begin my 34th year!

Grace and peace...

 

Easter = LOVE

Have you ever thought about the real inspiration of Easter?  Of course it is very true that Easter is the day that our Lord rose from the grave to once and for all pay the price for our sins.  To be that perfect sacrifice.  To offer us salvation and forgiveness.  All of these things are true, but they are all the result of one thing.  The one thing that inspired our Lord to do all this was His love for us.  So it is true that Easter is all about forgiveness and new life, but ultimately it is all about LOVE.  

How humbling is it to think about how much He loves us???

Look at all His Word has to say on the subject.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  
John 3:16

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."  
John 15:13

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us..."  
1 John 3:16a

"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  
1 John 4:9-10

"...To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" 
Revelation 1:5b

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 
Romans 5:8

AMEN!

Take No Rest

 

"I have set watchmen, Jerusalem,
upon thy walls,
that shall never cease crying aloud,
day or night;
you that keep the Lord in remembrance,
take no rest, nor let Him rest"

Isaiah 62:6-7a

"Study these words until your whole soul be filled with the consciousness, I am an appointed intercessor.  Enter God's presence in that faith.  Study the world's need with that thought - it is my work to intercede; the Holy Spirit will teach me for what and how.  Let it be an abiding consciousness: My great lifework, like Christ's, is intercession - to pray for believers and those who do not yet know God."
-Andrew Murray

Work

So I have an awesome job where I am blessed to be able to do so many things that I enjoy doing.  I get to be a "mom" to 20+ women and their babies, I am able to teach classes, expose the women I work with to culture by going on field trips, I take maternity pics of the moms, as well as share about the Lord and pray with the women, among other things.  It is the work of a missionary in Southern California, but it doesn't always feel like work.  It feels like the life of a mom, but I get to leave all the kids and go home at the end of the day.  haha.  

All in all I feel so blessed to be able to use so many of the gifts the Lord has given me in one place.  

This week my work, Casa Teresa, did a little mini blog about my pictures for the moms.  It was really nice!  So I thought I would share.
:)

click here

<3