My, Your, Our Sovereign God

Is God sovereign in your life? I mean is he really? Do you have the fear of God in you? Are you afraid to pray powerful prayers because you know they will come true. Ask and you shall receive. YOU SHALL RECEIVE. So what do you ask for and how do you react when you get it. When I was younger I would make birthday lists and Christmas lists that way my family wouldn't have to figure out what I wanted. The lists consisted of at least 10 items. Along would come Christmas and I would get stuff that was on the list but yet I wasn't completely thankful because even though my request was granted I really wanted the other items on the list(After 5 years I finally got a CD player that I wanted!) or I wasn't completely satisfied with the item that I did get(I wanted the red ball not the blue one). My point is when we pray and God answers our prayers how thankful are we? Did we want him to answer one prayer before another, did we even want him to answer a certain prayer and are we grateful for the way he answered the prayer?

The reason I brought this up is because yesterday I was faced with the reality that God answers prayers. I prayed in the morning for him to be sovereign in my life and to break me. I took pride in this prayer because I felt so Spirited and decided that it would be a good day because I did my Christian duty. Quickly before I knew what happen he put a big struggle right in front of me and all I could do was face it head on. He decided to break me and show to me that he is sovereign in my life. I wanted to run but he reminded me that I asked for it. I asked for a ball and well I got it. Don't run Christian! Or at least don't run from him but instead run right into his arms. Humble yourself and let go of all your pride and the mask that you wear to look strong. Trust in him to guide you and to comfort you. Sovereign sustaining grace.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:6-7

Here is the song that is powerful and can't be song without understanding what you are singing. Everytime I sing it I find myself on my knees because God has answered my prayers. I ask you all pray it for yourself if you want God to be sovereign in your life.

Break Me
Travis & Sarah Swan/Katrina Jansson

Wake me
Shake me from my sleep
Move me
And I fall to my knees
Breathe on me
DonÂ’t let my heart be cold
Burn in me
A fire I canÂ’t control

Break me
So I can be set free
Break me
Have Your way with me

When IÂ’m weak, you understand my cry
Holy Spirit come, IÂ’m ready for Your life
Call me, and name me as Your own
Set my mind upon Your ways as I let my way go

Break me
So I can be set free
Break me
Have Your way with me

Break me
So I can be set free
Break me
So Your glory can be seen

Glory for the world to see
Show yourself to the world through me 4x

Maker of Heaven and Earth

Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895)
Maker of Heaven and Earth

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
God made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
We gather every day;--

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

Courage to not Run

When faced with something do you choose to run from it or do you choose to take it head on? Pause before you answer this!

"The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion. - Proverbs 28:1"

I'm not referring to anything particular. Financial problems, school problems, relationships, temptations, surrendering of idols, your own sins, your weaknesses or any struggle that you find yourself in. For me I guess it is all of these, I confess. I'm a runner and not in the one foot in front of the other way but the one where avoidance is my way of life.

But there is hope! WE have the Spirit in us and God is on our side.

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - Phil 4:13"

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. - 1 Corinthians 16:13"

Road marked with Suffering

"Drowned eyes
Dark skies
Lonely nights
Fading lights

You will wipe my tear
every word you hear
Change my heart of stone
For I am not alone

My God is good
for there I stood
looking to the cross
now I count my sin as loss

All my life to give
is the only way to live
Endure the race
to see His Face!"

I wrote these words this evening, reflecting on my most resent struggles and on my past struggles. I was reminded today that dwelling is not good. Dwelling on the negative, dwelling on my sorrows, dwelling on my struggles, and worst of all dwelling on the lies Satan tells me. But Christ died for me and for ALL, no need to dwell. Rejoice instead for he has saved me and I bring pleasure to his eye.

"Blessed be Your Name
On the Road marked with suffering
Though there is pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name"

Grandma and Me!

I went to church with my grandma Sunday and then lunch together afterwards. I thought of something I heard from John Piper that before I became Christian somebody maybe many more were praying for me. Because of their faithfulness and even more because of God’s faithfulness I am a Christian, going on 16 months! My grandma was one of those and I know that when I told her last year she rejoiced. Imagine praying for somebody for 18 years and then getting a letter declaring an answer to your prayer. Imagine the joy and I can still see it in her eyes and feel it in her hugs. It was great to sit and chat with my grandma and to go to her church. I remember when I was younger when my brothers and I would stay at my grandparents’ house on the weekend. They would take us to their church. Entering the church this time was totally different because I liked to be there, God’s spirit was in this church. Like my church in Fort Collins this one focuses on the great commission that God has called us to work for. But at the same time when I saw the alter all I could think of was my grandpa’s memorial service. The same screen that we watched old pictures of his life I was reading lyrics about the Hope I have in Christ. Painful but yet joyful. I thought of my recent stroll through the cemetery thinking about the pains of being a widow. Many going years after their spouse has died, years that I imagine are lonely and depressing. But then I think of my grandma and I think of the old lady that has breakfast alone every Saturday morning at Elmers, local breakfast restaurant. You give your heart to somebody and then after 50 years or so you find yourself without them. Nights so sad that you can’t even cry but there is hope. I looked at that alter and read what was written below, “Christ is Lord”. There is our hope, there is their hope and there is the hope that we live everyday for. That hope and joy is reflected in my grandma’s eyes and smile. The same smile that God has blessed me with, like a friend of grandma’s said, “I can tell you gals are related”.

Praise God for my grandma and her faithfulness, praise him for my salvation, praise him for the hope we all have in Christ. Praise Him!

Hello dear blog, I haven’t forgotten about you I just don’t know what to write. It’s not a lack of thought but really a lack of understanding. The only thing I am sure of anymore is that God is almighty and his way leads to victory. He is faithful with our prayers and he is always with me despite my many failures. More soon I hope.