Saying no to syncretism.

I learned about syncretism in my Old Testament survey class. It's the combination or fusion of different forms of beliefs and/or practices. In 2 Kings 17:33 (yes... I finally made it here!) it says: "They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile." And in verse 41: "So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols, their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day." When I was reading this, I realized that I'm just like the people of Israel. They were trying to fit God into the holes that their other gods didn't fill. They were serving God... but they were also serving themselves, and in the end they always wound up rejecting God. "To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law. or the commandments which the LORD commanded the sons of Jacob, whom He named Israel" (vs. 34). We can't just fit God in... we have to give Him a place in our lives. That's something I'm starting to realize more and more as I read through the Old Testament, and study at school. School, work, and friends may keep me busy, but God has got to come first. I can't just find a spot for Him at the end... because at the end there won't be any room. I have to give God a spot first and then fit the rest in. I can't serve two masters. "No one can serve two masters; for either he wil hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (Matthew 6:24).

I want to choose to say NO to syncretism. I don't give God enough alone time. I figure "I can text in between reading verses", or "this music is worship music after all... it won't distract me that much!" I think that God deserves at least 5 minutes without a cell phone buzz interrupting my time with Him - God deserves SO much more than that. He sent His Son to die on a cross for me... even though He knew that I would put other things before Him, even though I know that He is the most important thing in my life.

Christmas is getting closer and this is the perfect time to remember this. Christmas is the time we celebrate the gift of God to us - His Son. I want God to hold a special place in my heart and in my life. I want Him to be first. Say no to syncretism and put God first.

You don't define me.

I've heard it said that girls need to stop finding their worth in guys. I, on my ever humble soapbox, thought "I'll NEVER be that kind of girl." Well, here I am realizing that I do it ALL the time. It's why when there's a thunderstorm that no amount of comfort from my girl friends will do it - one word from a guy will. When I'm lonely, no matter how many girl friends that are in my room, the only thing that will make it better is hanging out with or talking to a guy. I'm sick and tired of it. Yes... guys are awesome. Why else would I always want to hang out with them? But guys CAN'T be the ones who define me anymore. Preventing this will require some tough steps from me... I have to remember this every time I get that feeling of loneliness or fear. God is the only One who can take away those feelings, fill the void, and make me whole. Even if I get married, something might happen to the man I marry. I have to be whole without him, otherwise without him I'll be nothing. That's not the kind of relationship God has in mind for me. God wants me to love him FIRST, and then He'll bless me with a special man to spend the rest of my life on earth with.

In Isaiah 62:4 it says: It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; But you will be called, "My delight is in her," And your land, "Married"; For the LORD delights in you, And to Him your land will be married." God had delivered the people of Zion from their sinful, wicked place in life. He rescued them and desired to change them! God no longer saw them as broken, alone, or without hope, but He saw them in His light. He saw them as beautiful creatures that He created! He wanted to change their name to Hephzibah (My delight is in her) because He loved them.

God feels the same way about me! He didn't create me to be fulfilled by a man. He created me to help a man with the thing God had chosen for him to do.

I no longer want my name to be Forsaken and Desolate, but Hephzibah because God delights in me. He defines me.

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection

I'm looking into the eyes

of He who made me

And to Him I have beauty beyond compare

I know He defines me.
Who are you to tell me that I'm

less than what I should be?

Who are you?
I don't need to listen to the

list of things I should do. I won't try.
No, I won't try.

Barlow Girl ~ Mirror

Don't wait for life to be just right...

I've been listening to a radio drama called Down Gilead Lane. In the season 12, the last season, they cover some deep issues: falling in love, relationship with family and God, sharing the gospel with others, and making the most of every moment.

How often do we worry about things like money, government, and family? When we let our minds get caught up in the stress of life, we forget to have fun and enjoy the time God has put us in right now. We can't get so distracted that we forget to appreciate the people that God has placed in our lives. We need to take the time to appreciate them, spend time with them, and show them that they care. We don't know how long we have on this earth and making the most of the time that God has given us is the most important thing we can do. We need to live without fear, being unashamed of the gospel. I struggle with this all the time! It is so hard to step outside the box and tell someone about Jesus. I don't even know how to start... but God put us on this earth to glorify Him. People can't come to Him unless they hear about Him first, and how will they hear if no one tells them? (that's in the Bible ;) )

That's my goal for my life. I love God and want to serve Him with my life. I'm going to try to not get caught up in the stresses of life and to just enjoy the life that God has given me, serving Him with my life.

Find joy.

"Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people." - Genesis 25:8

For those of you who have been reading through the Bible with me, you probably came across this verse. God had been putting this though on my heart all day: find joy. I was reading a book earlier in the day by Karen Kingsbury. In it a father was giving advice to a kid who lived with him and his family for a while. He said that life isn't a dress rehearsal, and that you need to find joy in the short time that you have. Joy comes from a relationship with Jesus first. Joy also comes from your family. It's more important who you marry than what you do for a living. Joy comes from having as little debt as possible. Live within your means. A joyful life is one where you love your line of work. I think that God used these things as gentle reminders not to take life too seriously. I tend to worry and stress about so many things, that I wind up not enjoying life. We need to be careful not to take things too seriously. Relax. Love God. Have fun. Love God and do what you want. Because if you love God, you will be doing what He wants you to anyway. :)

Have you lost your taste for God?

I heard a snippet of a sermon by Pastor Shawn McBride and he asked a very interesting question: "Have you lost your taste for God?" He said that so often we feed off so many other things (Facebook, our iPods, Xbox, magazines, movies, etc...) that we lose our taste for God. His sermon encouraged me to start feeding off the Word every day. For me to have any relationship with God I've got to put some time in it - that's what I've been learning. Is anyone up for starting in Genesis with me and going through it all? Not necessarily at any specific pace, but whatever you feel you need to read that day. Let me know if you wanna do it with me! :)

God isn't looking for bench warmers. He's looking for warriors.

You want to know if God is awesome? He is.

I was at a Chris and Conrad/BarlowGirl concert last night and God did something amazing. BarlowGirl's whole message is that we are chosen, God has a purpose on our life. We need to chase after it with all of our heart. At the end of the concert they had a prayer time. There were about 7-10 people there to pray with anyone who wanted or needed it. Alyssa said something that hit me. We're supposed to be leaders and what better way to start than stepping out in a prayer line? I knew it in my heart, but I couldn't make my legs move over there. So instead I prayed. I asked God to do something. Break me, water my heart so it wasn't so dry - show me something. Well... you know what He did? He put it on the heart of one of the prayer line "staffers" to come and talk to me. He didn't say anything new, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. Kind of like "confirmation" from God that I have a bigger purpose than just standing in the back of the crowd taking pictures.

I've always had a desire to do something bigger. I want to step out and make a difference for God but I'm just stuck in the back. I let the devil take over by filling my heart with fear. I want to have a love for God so great that when people look at me they'll want that too.

I don't know where I need to start exactly, but I know that God is working. So now I think I will just continue to press in - maybe a little harder this time - and see what He does next.

Pressing In.

<----- So I have this favorite mug. I've been laughed at for using a "his" mug, but this is how I see it: it reminds me of who I'm waiting for. You Simply Waiting girls will know who I mean. ;)

Then I thought about something else. It should remind me of who I'm serving now. It hasn't, but it should. I'm in a spot in life right now where I'm not sure what God is teaching me, and honestly, I don't feel like I'm learning much of anything. I feel stuck in a routine that doesn't bring any results. I've heard that pressing through the dry times, pressing into God even when you get nothing, is what I need to do. I longed for the passion and ability to do that, but didn't know what that meant or how to do it. I looked into it though, and I think it sometimes involves routine and nothing. God wants us to come to Him even when we don't always get something because it means we were with Him. God wants a relationship with us. We have to do a little bit of the work sometimes because relationships are two-way. It's hard, but I have a hope that someday, after I've pushed through, something AMAZING will happen and I can encourage others with a passion because I had the courage to press through.

"It comes from a personal relationship between you and God. You have to take that time. If you don't hear God, how much time do you spend with Him? It's not just fifteen minutes of opening your Bible and saying, "Show me something. Do something now." Don't give Him a limit. You gotta press in and be as passionate about Him as you are about turning on the television and listening to your radio. Be passionate about listening to Him and just sitting there. Sometimes we girls will sit as a family before God for hours saying, "Okay, God. Speak to us." It's intercession. It's praying. It's being on your face. And a lot of times we don't get anything because God's slowly pulling the things of this world away so we can hear His voice. You gotta press in and be passionate about it." - Lauren Barlow

Here's to pressing in. I think I'm gonna try.

Preparing to die.

I recently fell in love with the movie Titanic. My sister can't understand why. I know why. As soon as I saw on my computer screen the Titanic straight up in the air ready to sink, I prayed the prayer "God prepare me for death." I know that the movie is full of actors and special effects, but the event really happened. I was watching the story of Jack and Rose unfold and knew that if I was Rose and I was faced with death, I would not handle it so courageously. Why not? If I died, I would be with the God who saved me.

Why am I so scared to die? I don't know why, I guess it's human nature. We WANT to live. We fight to live. In the Titanic everyone knew that they were going to die, yet they still continued to fight to make it to the top of the ship, to spend just one more minute living -- even if they lived that minute in fear. I guess we need that drive to live in this life, otherwise we would just give up. If God didn't place that desire in us when He created us, we would give up far too easily.

I am not ready to die yet. But I pray that simple prayer to God: "God prepare me for death." I want to face my death with courage. I don't want to die in fear. God has been putting this on my heart so much lately, He's been preparing me for death. Death is going to come one day, I finally comprehend that. Whether God allows me to live until I'm 85 with a husband and six kids, or whether He chooses that I die from cancer, or from a car wreck, I must be prepared. That is the prayer of my heart. I want my ending to be beautiful, pleasing to God. God, prepare ME for death.

And as a little side note, Titanic made me realize why guys are made to be the leaders. I know that it's a story and that there are special effects involved, but Rose never would've made it off the Titanic if it weren't for Jack. During the whole movie Jack protected Rose. He taught her, strengthened her, led her, helped her not to fear. His strength, his love, pulled her through. Rose never would've pushed through freezing temperatures and losing the only man she loved if it weren't for Jack. It's like that Bible verse "Greater love has no man that this: that he lay down his life for his friends."

So I end this blog not as a praising of how great the Titanic is... but as how great our God is! God could've have allowed the sinking of the Titanic to happen because he was thinking of me. The day when the script writer penned the story line, God had me in mind. God has been preparing me for death even before I was born. It may sound silly to some, but I've been learning that God works in weird ways, and that God allows EVERYTHING to happen for a reason. It's not far fetched or wrong to think that God let the Titanic to happen because He had me in mind. It just shows me that somewhere, somehow, God makes beauty rise from the ashes.

Father God, prepare me for death. Make my ending beautiful in your eyes. Make my life a witness to all who see me. In Your name I pray, Amen.

The joy of following.

Lately I've been learning that God is very purposeful. I heard a quote by someone, I think it was Chip Ingram, and he said: "Nothing comes into our lives by accident. It is either decreed or allowed by an All-Wise, Sovereign God for our good."

I've heard talk of spiritual battles, but never really knew what that really meant. In this newest season of my life, God has been using an intense spiritual battle to teach me more about Him. God pretty much took my understanding of Him and turned it upside down. All I could see in front of me was how hard serving Him is, and I didn't like it at all! I spent several days just thinking. I didn't pray, I didn't open my Bible, I didn't talk to anyone about what I was thinking. I think we hear God the best when we are struggling, because then we're really listening and searching for Him. I finally began understanding, and accepting, things about God that I wasn't so sure I liked.

God has used so many things in this time of struggle to teach me. My favorite band, BarlowGirl, has been one of those things He's used. Today I saw this video and it TOTALLY summarizes how I feel about this struggle I'm in. The Christian life is hard, yes, but instead of complaining and whining about it why not enjoy it? Spend your time on earth praising, thanking and serving God! http://www.barlowgirl.com/media/videos/lessons-learned-our-journey?eml=062310

Music is a prominent thing in my life and God uses it to it's fullest to teach and inspire! So sing along with this song as you celebrate the privilege of being a part of God's family!

"We are the redeemed
We are the ones who are free

And we belong to Jesus.
We are now alive

And in this world we will shine

Cause we belong to Jesus."

("We Shine" - Stellar Kart)

Counting the Cost.

I decided to follow Christ when I was eleven years old. My Dad is a Pastor, has been for my entire life, but never did I understand true cost of following Christ.

Did you know that the way Christians live today in the United States is not normal? Everyday we hear reports of persecuted Christians. They know the risk of following Christ, and yet they continue to follow. Christ said that the world would hate Christians. (Matthew 10:22 "You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.").

I found myself sitting in church thinking, "This is what the God who says he loves us is asking us to do?" There are things on this earth that I enjoy and that I want to experience. I haven't given those over to God yet. I think that He is using this past Sunday sermon to pry apart the grip I have on those things.

The cost of following Christ is high and I don't think I ever realized how high.

"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Luke 14:26-35)

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of GOd, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm." (Ephesians 6:12-13)

I understand what God asks of me now, and I feel like I'm kind of starting over. I'm learning about the God I chose to serve six years ago. I've learned that he isn't just some fluffy worship song. God is intense, merciful, awesome, gracious, forgiving, loving, and - I hope to know someday - totally worth it.

"We will abandon it all for the sake of the call
No other reason at all but the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die
For the sake of the call." - Steven Curtis Chapman; For the Sake of the Call

His Word doesn't change...

I came across a song today by Bethany Dillon, it's called "In the Beginning" and it's based off of John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God..." It really touched me because this is something I've struggled with for quite a while. I have a hard time motivating myself to get into the Word and to study. I feel like I never get anything when I go to the Word. This song reminded me that even when the rain pours - rain would be bad things in your life - God's Word is still there, and you can never come away empty. It was really encouraging too at this point in my life because since this situation with my brother has happened, I've been even more discouraged and depressed. I'm thankful for the people God has put in my life that are praying for my brother - it's comforting to know that even when I can't pray (or don't feel like it), that God has someone intervening for me.

God is working, and it's been an incredible blessing. I just hope that soon that will start to flow over into my heart, because living with this knowledge of God and what I'm "supposed" to do... and not doing anything is very discouraging.

I continue to sing the words God placed on my heart:

"Even as the rain and snow come down

and do not return empty,
Making it bear fruit and sprout,

so Your Word will be..."

...praise the LORD in song...

Why is praising the LORD in song so important? I think we get so caught up in our hymns, rock songs, our drums, guitar, our organ - insignificant things that hold back our worship of Christ our Savior. We get caught up in the outdatedness of the organ and the loudness of the guitar that we completely miss our God!

We're supposed to praise the LORD because He has done excellent things (Isaiah 12:5), because He is highly exalted (Exodus 15:1), because He has done wonderful things (Psalm 98:1), and because He has redeemed us (Isaiah 43:1). God wants His name proclaimed. We proclaim His name by singing songs of praise to Him! Music is one of the most powerful tools we have to share Christ with the world. The exaltation of His name is so important that if we stop lifting it up, the rocks will (Luke 19:40).

The worship that Christ wants from us is true heart worship. He doesn't want us standing up in church simply singing the words, that's an offering that Christ detests. (Psalm 51:16). The worship and praise Christ wants from us comes from a humble heart (Psalm 51:17), one that recognizes the awesomeness of God.

In the end... I don't think it matters what instrument we praise our God with. Psalm 150 tells us to praise the LORD with trumpets, harps, lyres (similar to a harp), timbrel (like a tambourine), dancing, stringed instruments (guitars, ukulele, violins, etc...), pipe (flute, oboe, clarinet, etc...), and loud cymbals (drums!). Our God is so awesome and so powerful that it should fill us with this overwhelming desire to make Him known.

Now, I'm not saying that we can smash a cymbal in someone's face and say "Ha! The Bible says I can! So deal with it!", I'm saying that none of these things are bad. Different musical styles appeal to different people. So if the loud crashes of a cymbal draw some in to hear the message that is proclaimed in that song - awesome! If the rich, royal sound of the organ fills others with the desire to praise the majesty of our God - awesome! It's all worship and it is ALL good.

You'll find unexpected things in the Bible. I never would've expected this Psalm of Thanksgiving to be in a book like 1 Chronicles. I hear that name and think war, kings, fighting, lots of names I don't know... you know? As I was searching for verses in the Bible that talk about praising God I came across this passage. I hope it fills you with joy and awe at the greatness of our God! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!

1 Chronicles 16:8-12
"Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth..."

1 Chronicles 16:23-36
"Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and joy are in His place.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him;
Worship the LORD in holy array.
Tremble before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."
Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD;
For He is coming to judge the earth.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather us and deliver us from the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise."
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting
Then all the people said, "Amen," and praised the LORD."