Hope Again

• “When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.
• When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.
• When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits
• When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.
• When we lose our way and confusion blurs the destination, hope dulls the edge of panic.
• When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.
• When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control.
• When we must endure the consequences of bad decisions, hope fuels our recovery.
• When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future.
• When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.
• When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we’re not alone…we’ll make it.
• When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in the life beyond gets us through our grief. “

Introduction to my favorite book, “Hope Again” by Chuck Swindoll

I’ll Never Miss Heaven for the World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beyond the borders of time there’s a beautiful land
Where the word of God is glory unfurled
And by the grace of God, I someday will call it my home
I’ll Never Miss Heaven for the world!

I’ll never miss seeing Jesus,
I’ll never miss seeing loved ones who’ve gone on before
I’ll never trade forever for a few days down here
I’ll never miss heaven for the world.

 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord
Though the things of earth may try to allure
For the smile of God means more than sin’s brief glittering days
I’ll never miss heaven for the world.

I’ll never miss seeing Jesus,
I’ll never miss seeing loved ones who’ve gone on before
I’ll never trade forever for a few days down here
I’ll never miss heaven for the world.

 When we get to that place, it’ll be worth going through
All the trials and afflictions down here
I’m going to finish this race, going to see Jesus’ face
I’ll Never miss heaven for the world!

I’ll never miss seeing Jesus,
I’ll never miss seeing loved ones who’ve gone on before
I’ll never trade forever for a few days down here
I’ll never miss heaven for the world.

~ Author unknown

Pre-Interview Worship

“The words of the Holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens, and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

I know your works, Behold I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know you have but a little power, and yet you have kepy my word, and have not denied my name.”

“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth, would care to know my name, would care to see my hurts…I am yours…”

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

“Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts, than a thousand elsewhere.”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

“Let my lifesong sing to you….”

 “And you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”

“I lay my burdens down, now I’m traveling light. My spirit lifted high, I found my freedom now and I’m traveling light”

 “Blessed are those who learn to acclaim you, to walk in the light of your blessing oh Lord”

“Indescribable, uncontainable, you place the stars in the sky and you know them by name. You are amazing God. All powerful, untamable, awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim, you are amazing…”

 “I have set the Lord always before me, Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”

“I have a shelter in the storm, when troubles pour upon me, though fears are rising like a flood, my soul can rest securely. Oh Jesus I can hide in you, my place of peace an solace, no trial is deeper than your love, that comforts all my sorrows.”

 

The Path of Life

“We may be sure that days of adversity, as well as days of prosperity, are full of blessing.  The believer does not need to wait until he sees the reason of God’s afflictive dealings with him [before] he is satisfied; he knows that all things work together for good to them that love God.” - Hudson Taylor

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” These words have been such an encouragement to me lately. The middle of September found me quitting a job without any prospects. October found an offer to live overseas in my inbox, provided I can earn the money. November found me losing a job before I actually got it. December finds me still searching for a job, applying weekly, and scheduling interviews every week.

I hesitated to share about this overseas offer because I wanted to wait until it all worked out. I waited to share about my job search until God had provided the perfect job. Then I thought to myself, why am I not sharing what God is doing during this process? It’s as if I’m protecting God. If that thought doesn’t show you how off my thinking was, then nothing will.

The truth is my Jesus has been so good to me. He has held my hand through this entire process. When I quit my job I had the most peace I’d had since I started working there. When the overseas offer came, and also the immediate list of obstacles, He simply told me that He was a big God, and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. When the job hunt seemed to be useless I cried out in the night and said “God, I cannot do this. I cannot make this happen without your help.” Every time it seems as if there are no more options, Jesus whispers peace to my heart, and then gives me a “token for good” (Psalm 86:17).

I came across this quote by Hudson Taylor yesterday,  and it made me stop and think. I think sometimes we wait to share the lessons that we’re learning until they’re over. Instead, I am reminded that I should rejoice in where I am today. The things that God is teaching me are fresher and more precious to me right now, and from now on I plan to share each step of the journey. I can be satisfied even in the middle of all these decisions because no matter where I am, or what I’m doing, I am drinking in the goodness that is found at His right hand.

“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us” (Isaiah 63:7a)

 

 

Traveling Light

I’m sorry blog posting has been rather light lately. Job searching and photoshoots have taken up most of my time, and then add in the usual Christmas craziness and that’s pretty much my life right now. Soon, soon, updates will come. Until then I leave you with the words to one of my favorite songs, which has encouraged me so much lately.

“Well I was doubling over the load on my shoulders
Was a weight I carried with me everyday
Crossing miles of frustrations and rivers a raging
Picking up stones I found along the way
I staggered and I stumbled down
Pathways of trouble
I was hauling those souvenirs of misery
And with each step taken my back was breaking
‘Til I found the One who took it all from me

Down by the riverside
(Down by the riverside)
I laid my burdens down,
Now I’m traveling light
My spirit lifted high
(I found my freedom now)
I found my freedom now
And I’m traveling light

Through the darkest alleys and loneliest valleys
I was dragging those heavy chains of doubt and fear
Then with the one word spoken the locks were broken
Now He’s leading me to places
Where there are no tears

Down by the riverside
(Down by the riverside)
I laid my burdens down,
Now I’m traveling light
My spirit lifted high
(I found my freedom now)
I found my freedom now
And I’m traveling light”

“Casting all your cares upon Him…”

Thou Art Mine

But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…

 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee…”

Isaiah 43:1-4

A Safe House

I recently had the opportunity to show Christ’s love in a very practical, very moving way. To see pictures and read my thoughts on this event, click here.

God gives us so much. How can we help but give to others?

 ”35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. ” ~ Matthew 25:35-47

Thankful For My Saviour

This holiday season caught me by suprise. Somehow the winter blues came a little late, and the heart full of joy and gratefullness came just a few days after Thanksgiving. I am so very grateful for my dear Saviour, and for His forever love for me. I love Him because He first loved me.

“Thank You, Lord

I’m thankful, Lord, for many things,
But this Thanksgiving day
I’m dedicating to the praise
Of only You, I pray.

Aside from blessings temporal,
Apart from gifts so kind,
I’m thankful for the Giver more
Than all the gifts combined.

I’m thankful, Lord, for who You are,
For Your great love divine
That stooped one day at Calvary’s cross
And saved a soul like mine.

I’m grateful for the years gone by
In which, with guiding hand,
You have with utmost wisdom led,
All by a perfect plan.

I’m thankful, Lord, for many things,
Apart from gifts so kind,
I’m thankful for the Giver more
Than all the gifts combined.”

-Georgia B. Adams

Hope For The Holidays

“Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier.” 

Honestly? The holidays are really hard for me. There’s something special about holiday memories. They seem brighter, sweeter, and happier than any other memory. So during this season I find myself wishing more than usual for those happy times back.

No matter how many silly excuses I make to friends “the parties are crowded and boring,” “I don’t like the music,” “the food is the same every year,” those are not the real reasons.

The reason I hate going to these parties is because everytime I’m there, I keep seeing a face that’s not there, hearing a laugh that belongs, but, oh wait, it doesn’t belong here. I keep turning the corners expecting to see a familiar group of friends, to hear someone call out for a good game of midnight hide and seek. I hate singing the cantatas at church because, well, my beautifully tone-deaf “sisters” are not there to sing oh so close to me. Our heads aren’t bent together, trying to sing those glorious notes, in front of happily familiar faces. I dread the long Thanksgiving festivities, because at the end of the day, it’s just us. There’s no call to come over to share in secret stuffing, or a last minute pumpkin carving party.

I’ve given up trying to explain these things to friends. It’s easier to make silly excuses and stick to them, than to explain that going to that party just hurts my heart so very bad.

I know that these things get easier with time. I know it personally, but these holidays still are just so hard. It seems at the end of every long week I find myself in tears, missing, longing, and hurting. But I am trying my hardest to look up. To see that even through these extremely difficult days, God is still above it all. One of my favorite words is hope. At the beginning of my senior year I wrote H-O-P-E in big letters in my workbook, along with the definition. ”Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” Hope is choosing to have faith, even in the dark. I cannot hope in this world. I cannot hope that maybe this year will be better. I am choosing to cry out, as the Psalmist did, “hope thou in God!”

David had a lot to be sad about. We have a saying in our family that “even David had bad birthdays” David cried out to God and said “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?” Yet he was able to say “hope thou in God” in the midst of his suffering. Right now I am choosing to look above the circumstances of life, with hope in a God who heals, who restores, and redeems.

 ”Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Old Memories, New Beginnings

Sometimes the reality of life catches up to me. I find myself suddenly faced with the plans that were not the plans I had, or would have asked for. I find myself with countless old memories, and struggling to want to make new ones. I have come to realize that this is natural, and however crazy it may seem, it’s ok. It’s ok that these things take time to heal, that life gives us more tears than we ever bargained for. I know that no matter how crazy and mixed up my life may be, there will always be an after. After this life there is Heaven. After this life there is reunion and joy. After this life there is Jesus.

A friend sent me this song a few years ago, and it is pretty much our story. It is taped to my wall so that I will never ever forget. No matter how hard the beginnings, no matter how many tears. Before there were old memories, after there will be Jesus. All the rest inbetween is just life, and it will pass.

“Halfway between your house and mine
Stood a weeping willow tree
If God ever made a tree to climb
Well, He build that one
Just for you and me
It was so easy climbing up
The trick was to not look down

In the time it takes to turn around
You find that promises are hard to keep
Like the ones we made when we were young
About how we’d stay together and never leave

But little ones run out of time
There are much bigger trees to climb
And friends like you are hard to find

Wherever in the world you are tonight
I pray that you are warm and safe and dry
And if you ever think of me
I hope these things things cross your mind
Best friends, God’s love, and great times

Last night I was out for a drive
And I remembered that willow tree
And how we’d laugh until we’d cry
And how that innocence has abandoned me
The greatest joys from the simplest things
The truth was the only thing we believed
Now I’m learning from the memory

Wherever in the world you are tonight
I pray that you are warm and safe and dry
Wherever in the world you are tonight
I wanted you to know
That I’m alright

And if you ever think of me
I hope these things cross your mind
Best friends, God’s love, and great times”