Doubt

I realized just now that I've spent more time defending my faith to myself than to other people...

What does this mean?

The devil has planted a seed of doubt Let's hope it doesn't grow.

Choices

Death or life
Control or surrender
Evil or good
Works or grace
First or last
You or Him
Your will or His
Flesh or spirit
Condemnation or purity
Punishment or freedom
Temporal or eternal
Earth or heaven
Deception or truth

Which will you choose?

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around...

Community. That's what has been missing in my life. I haven't sought it out because I haven't had the desire to do so. But it is no longer a matter of want or desire, it is a necessity. I am not myself in this state of isolation. God did not create us to be alone, and therefore, I cannot function on my own. Now the question is, where is my community? It's about time to seek this out.

I might not...

I might not be perfect
I might not trust easily
I might not trust at all
I might not be beautiful
I might not feel loved
I might not see reality
I might not be strong
I might not be happy
I might not understand
I might not be the smartest
I might not be confident
I might not feel secure
I might not feel valued
I might not see my potential
I might not ever stop trying to please people
I might not ever be able to please people
I might not be trendy
I might not be in love
I might not live in humility
I might not have an open mind
I might not be a good friend
I might not show love
I might not be able to surrender

But, I am me, and I desperately desire to be all that I am not.

Heart

To anyone who's ever been in love... Is it as beautiful as the love songs and movies make it out to be? Cuz boy I would love (no pun intended) to find out. I hate not knowing... Maybe someday?

Repeat the Sounding Joy

This passed weekend at church we sang "Joy to the World." As you probably know, this popular Christmas song talks about the joy of awaiting the arrival of Jesus. However, as I looked around at the hundreds of people in the worship center, I saw a group of expressionless people with hands awkwardly in their pockets...myself included. Where was the joy?

I think this time of year, we are all weary and burnt out, and I think it affects our ability to worship fully. Whether its the stress of finals, or the worry that comes with finding the perfect Christmas gift and how to afford it...we are pooped. Or maybe the song about the greatest joy we could ever imagine has simply become numb in our hearts.

"Repeat the sounding joy"...maybe we need to repeat it in order to spread the joy to others. Or maybe we simply need to repeat it to remind ourselves of the true joy of Christmas. Regardless, I would encourage any one who reads this to see the joy of this time of year. May we receive our Savior and King and not forget the power of Christmas. May we experience the joy that comes through giving and the peace that comes through humility. Where is your joy this holiday season?

"Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love."

So this weekend I visited my sister in Colorado. We hiked this beautiful mountain, through the forest and up into the Tundra, passed the tree line. As I was hiking, I noticed that my gaze was downward, making sure my footing was in place. The problem with that is when I was so focused on the ground, I missed the beauty that was around me. I think in life, my walk with Christ, I'm so concerned with my steps and my own life. Often times, I fail to pause and look around at the beauty around me, but I also fail to see the hurting hearts around me as well. If we are so focused on our own lives, what good are we doing? Nothing. We become toxic to ourselves. God calls us to love others, to follow in his footsteps by caring for the broken. So, what about our path? "For in his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." --Proverbs 16:9. Don't worry about your steps, because they are in God's hands. Instead, direct your gaze towards the world around you and love.