Thoughts on a slow morning

I woke up to the refreshing aroma of cow manure.  Good morning, Lancaster.

This is not the view from my house. I didn't even take this picture.
But it could be the view from my house.  It's pretty close, in fact. :)

It was a slow morning today. The sky is gray and cloudy.  It rained off and on.  It's cool and breezy and my open windows have now been shut.  It was a good morning to sit and think.  To be still.  To let "life" sink in a little.  Since I got married, I feel like I hit the ground running and haven't slowed down much. Today was good for that.

Here's some of my rambling thoughts from this morning:

• I have a great older brother.  You know how sometimes you can't get your thoughts into words (well, maybe you don't...)?  I have that trouble with theology.  I know what I believe and why I believe it, but sometimes I can't verbalize it.  My older brother, he's great at verbalizing it.  He can take things I only think about and put them into whole, complete, understandable sentences. I love that about him. :)
• Here's a link to his new blog, where he's posting these sorts of things: All of God

• My immediate family is the best.  I get to see them tonight and tomorrow.  I'm pretty excited about that.
• Why do I get to see them?  Because my older sister is getting married to this great guy. And tomorrow we're celebrating in anticipation of that. 

• I'm thankful for the family I married into. 
• I was reading in Titus today - chapter two, first five verses.  It talks about the older women teaching the younger women.  I'm so grateful for both my own mother and my mother-in-law, who do this excellently.  I cannot express what a privilege it is to be trained by these godly women. 

• I'm challenged by both Scripture and Elisabeth Elliot (as I read one of her books). 
• Titus speaks of young women being self-controlled (of sound mind), pure, working at home, being kind, loving her husband, submitting to him...and why do they do all these things? So that the Word of God might be honored. So that my life would adorn (decorate, glorify, make great) the doctrine of God.
• I can know and understand all of theology, but if my actions don't reflect it, don't live it, don't proclaim it, my knowing is worthless. 

• It is so sweet to trust in Jesus. 
• Do I need to write more? He is so faithful, good, sovereign, kind, full of grace and mercy. 
• O for grace to trust Him more...

Sea Legs in Amish Land

It's a different world out here.

Buggies and barefoot Amish children.  Black aprons and white caps. Farms and rolling hills.  Horses and mules and cows and roosters. All across the street from me.

It sometimes feels like I stepped off a shore I knew so well onto a rocking boat, and my world is suddenly tipping beneath my feet. I am glad for this new place and the new sights and sounds (and even the smells - most of the time) that have come with it. But the rocking makes me dizzy sometimes. 

I don't want to get off and I don't want to go back.  I think it will just take some time for me to find my "sea legs".

In the meantime, I am learning to take each day one moment at a time, to savor the good and learn from the hard things.
I am treasuring my old friendships, as I realize how difficult it can be to make such friends.  And I am pursuing new friendships here, eager to make this place "home".
I am learning the power of prayer, and the absolute steadiness of my faithful God.
I am praising the Lord for my husband who treats me with more patience than I deserve and who comes home to me every day.
I am learning to cook and trying to laugh instead of cry when I overcook the corn so badly it's almost crunchy.
I am learning to do laundry and then try again when I wash stains into my husband's shirts instead of out.
I am learning that God is good.  All the time.  And that in His time, everything is made beautiful.
       [Ecclesiastes 3:11a:  "He has made everything beautiful in its time."]


I have been enjoying the song "Home" by Phillip Phillips.  It's not a Christian song, but I think the lyrics are good and it seems appropriate in this time and place.
Go check it out:  "Home"

Satisfaction in Sovereignty

It's been a bit.
Blame it on the Hurricane.  It's a good excuse these days.

Here's some notes that I read this morning out of the book "Taste and See" by John Piper.  It's a book filled with short devotionals that I've been working through. They are often quite challenging or encouraging and I plan to reread the book at least once.  In comparison to most of Piper's other books, this one is easy to understand and I don't have to reread every sentence to comprehend it!

I won't rewrite the whole thing, but here's some bits and pieces from number 89: "The Sovereignty of God: A Precious and Practical Doctrine":

The sovereignty of God is a most precious doctrine. 
The word "sovereignty" does not occur in the Bible. I use it to refer to this truth: God is in ultimate control of the world, from the largest international intrigue to the smallest bird-fall in the forest. 

The Bible puts it this way: "I am God and there is no other...my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose" (Isaiah 46:9-10). "He is unchangeable and who can turn him? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me" (Job 23:13-14).  "Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases" (Psalm 115:3). 

One reason this doctrine is so precious to believers is that we know that God's great desire is to show mercy and kindness to those who trust him. Therefore, the mercy and sovereignty of God are the twin pillars of my life. They are the hope of my future, the energy of my service, the center of my theology, the bond of my marriage, the best medicine in all my sickness, the remedy of all my discouragements. 

George Mueller writes this when his wife lay dying of a fever: "Thou [God] wilt do the very best thing for her, and for me, whether life or death...only help me to continue to be perfectly satisfied with Thy holy will."

Taken from: Piper, John.  Taste and See. pp: 266-268. Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, 2005. Print.  

Mueller words hit me this morning.  How often do I complain about things going wrong in life: having no electricity because of the hurricane; it's too cold out, or too hot, or too rainy or not rainy enough; I don't like the clothes I have or the food I have to eat; I want more or less; I am not satisfied.
This is God's will for me. That I live each day satisfied in Him, knowing He is sovereign and in control, knowing that whatever happens for me is for my deepest and highest good (Romans 8:28, Psalm 84:11). He is sanctifying me and making me holy, so what happens to me is not always easy or "fair" or pleasant, but it is for my good and He is loving me through every day.

Let us be satisfied with Him today and take our stand upon in His sovereignty over all things.

A Longing

Yesterday, I had a 2-inch needle stuck into my knee for a shot of cortisone.  I'm 22. I should hardly need cortisone shots in my knee.
What's wrong with my knee you ask?  Well, I think the general answer is that it's "old".  I've overused it through gymnastics, injured it by hyper-extending it numerous times and beat the poor thing up. So at 22, I have a body that is already slowing down and having trouble keeping up. Great.

This makes me long for a body that is whole, complete and finished.  It makes me long for the day when we no longer need doctors, and hospitals, have no more pain, cry no more tears, no longer injure, break, sprain, or twist anything and there is no more sickness.

I long to be whole, not only in body, but in mind and spirit: to be wholly sanctified and please my Father in Heaven, to spend eternity in His goodness and light.

I long for Heaven.

I used to think about Heaven as one long church service.  Don't get me wrong: I love my church. And I love attending church and church functions. I am close with my church family and truly enjoy being there and worshiping with them. But an eternity-long church service does not sound "heavenly" to me.

Thankfully, I have grown up and read a few more books and studied Scripture a little more and have come to realize that Heaven is SO much more than a church service.  It's an eternity of discovering the mysteries, the wonders, the goodness and love of our infinite, faithful God.  It's an eternity of fellowshipping with the children of God.  It's being constantly in the presence of God and bathed in his light and his love. An eternity of joy and peace and growth. And that sounds far more inviting and thrilling and wonderful.

I have no idea what this might "physically" look like and the pictures in my head are probably far less magnanimous than Heaven actually is.  After all, how can my finite mind come up with any idea of what heaven might look like??
But can you imagine God's library? Or His flower garden?  Or His vegetable garden?  Can you imagine the colors we might see? And the sounds and tastes and smells?
Everything touched by the hand of God and no longer tainted by sin. 

Oh, I'm ready.  I'm so ready.

May God grant us the blessing of tasting and seeing that He is good, even here, upon the earth [Psalm 34:8].  May we cling to the hope that we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, even while we eagerly await being taken home to eternity [Psalm 27:13].

Questions...

A few questions to ponder, straight from Scripture:

"What is man, that you are mindful of him and the son of man, that you care for him?" [Psalm 8:4]

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" [Romans 8:35]

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" [Romans 8:31]

"And [Jesus] said, 'Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?'" [Matthew 8:26]

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth." [Isaiah 40:28]

"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?" [Galatians 4:9]

"And why are you anxious about clothing? If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" [Matthew 6:28 and 30]

"Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?" Will what is molded say to is molder, 'Why have you made me like this?'" [Romans 9:20]

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" [Romans 8:32]


The answers to these questions can also be found in Scripture and provide such a firm foundation to face each day with hope and confidence. 
May we remind ourselves of the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love for us (Eph 3:18).

Thought Bubble of the Day

I forget that God is with me.
I forget that the "God-man", Jesus, faced every temptation, just as I do.
I forget that God suffered and died.
I forget that God is mighty.
I forget that the Spirit prompts in whispers.
I forget that He uses other people to teach me.
I forget that He IS accomplishing and He WILL accomplish His purpose in my life.
I forget.

"But the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating even to dividing the soul and the spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." [Hebrews 4:12]

So I go back. And let the truth of God's word penetrate my heart. And remember. And cling. And hope. And let the Spirit speak through it's pages. And stand upon the faithful promises of God - "for all the promises of God find their "yes" in [Christ]" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Let's remember and live victorious in the promises and work of God today.

Blessed

The night it all began... NYC, July 2010

See that handsome man up there in the photo with me?  On that evening, we were simply friends, taking a picture in the middle of a walk around downtown New York City. Touring the East Coast with Worldview Academy, serving as the leadership team, we had no idea what the future held...and now, I am so thrilled to say that that amazing man will one day soon be my husband.

We're Engaged!!!

Mark is such a huge blessing in my life. I could fill pages on this blog about our story, his characteristics, why I fell in love with him, and what God has taught me through my relationship with him. 

God has blessed us with supportive parents, faithful friends, praying people and His gracious mercy throughout the two and half years that I have known him. We have served together, laughed together, cried together, worked together and I am abundantly happy to be continuing our journey together. 

"In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." [1 John 4:10]

God is so gracious. 

We are praying that God would use our relationship to bring Him glory - that the way we live, interact, pray, work and love would be a testament to His grace, mercy, patience, kindness and forgiveness. We are praying that God sanctifies us through this marriage, as hard and painful as that will sometimes be.  Please be praying with us as we continue this journey and take the next step in our relationship.

Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

1 Thessalonians 5:23, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."