Stand Strong Warrior

We must not lose courage my brothers and sisters there is a battle for souls surrounding us. It may be because I just watched the Lord of the Rings Two Towers and that is why the idea of battle is most prominent in my mind. Yet at the same time these last couple days God has been making it apparent to me that he wants us to stand strong in Him and trust. Faith is one of those words that I seem to know the least about but yet everyday is a chance to learn more. Trust Him and when He tests you which He most diffentially will that is when you learn about faith. When you have to choose to stand by your King and fight for what He desires and to hope in what He promises.

"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 1:3-4

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

There is something worth fighting for and it is greater than what Frodo and Sam were fighting for. Our hope is in something bigger than a mere good in this world but our hope is in that which is Good, that which is Love, that which is Life and that which is Holy...WE are fighting for our God. That is reason alone to persevere.

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God." - Romans 4:20

This is referring to Abraham and because I can't do it justice you must read Romans 4. Let us hope for things that God has promised but seem so hard to have hope in. Let us respect (from NASB version of Romans 4:20) and stand by God's promises for He will never fail!

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 cor. 4:18

Let's not be presuaded to believe in the seen but lets believe and hold true to the unseen. I'm a walking rememberance of God's faithfulness. Seen as one who would never believe in God or be caught in a church. But here I stand as a testiomony of God's Power, he grabbed my heart and softened it for no work of man could have done what he did in my life. He did this for many others and will do it for many more to come and that is a story to come...

Half birthdays are one of my favorites!

This really should have been posted yesterday. 2 and 1/2 years ago yesterday I accepted Christ. Hard to believe the time that has past. I was reading my first journal this morning and I'm amazed at what God did with my life right away. The amount of prayer I had for those around me, the grasp of scripture that I had, the joy and thankfulness I had, the searching to know the deeper meaning of every verse I read, the understanding of God's goodness in struggle, the sacrificing of one's life, and the love I had for God. It is that childlike love and dependence that I desire to have once again. Return to my first love that has been my plea to God for the last couple days. Praying like I haven't in so long and oh it is satisfying and joy filling.

In the first two months of my walk I prayed for others everyday, I went to prayer meetings and found that to pray your words don't have to be perfect and you don't have to worry what others think, prayer is from the heart. I struggled with saying prayers out loud until I realised that it needs to be from the heart and once again I recently found myself in such a state. Here I am being encouraged by myself, what a funny thing.

It's beautiful to look back and thank the Lord for every struggle and question because I can see where it has taken me so far. I can see from the beginning I had a heart for discipleship (I prayed for my first disciple within 7 weeks of accepting Christ) and I had a heart for prayer (I had my first all night prayer by myself shortly after 2 months!) I'm amazed and didn't realize the transformations that were happening. I wrote many journal entries about giving it all up and and laying down everything for God (I took a major faith step when I changed majors from Chemical Engineering to Math Education, a step I knew wouldn't go well with my parents)

So dear friend who asked me why to keep a journal here is a reason why!

Be encouraged brothers and sisters by what God has done in your own life and what He is doing in those around you. For many times my journal has made mention of the things others did around me that was a light and encouragement to me, things I'm sure they didn't realize had an impact. Open your eyes to God and open your heart to his deep, deep, everlasting love towards us.

Resting on a deep love that not even words can describe.

I have a number of topics that I could write about
- old people
- junior high kids at concerts
- teaching junior high kids
- a heart after God
- running by faith

but grr I'm sleep deprived and need to make some phone calls and have to study, oh life how it fills my time up, so watch for a future post love ya and read 1 or 2 Chronicles 29 (I don't remember which!) it's about David's heart

God's Voice

Listen to Elihu's words as he humbly talks about God to Job

"At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from it's place.
Listen closely to the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.
Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
And His lightning to the ends of the earth.
After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.
God thunders with His voice wondrously,
Doing great things which we cannot comprehend."
- Job 37:1-5

Don't forget it is all about God's Glory

Premier Night was last night. The top ten were shown and then judges picked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Part of me really wanted to be first or at least 3rd. But that was the prideful selfish part of me that was seeking the glory of this world. My attitude was off last night I realized after seeing the content and joyful attitude of my fellow directors. Despite what others said I didn't think our movie was that great, excuse for losing, but that is when I wanted to tell Satin to go to hell, for his lies were consuming me. A brother last night after the results were announced told me, that it was 'God's favorite'. A comment that could be said just to comfort but in this case it reminded me that this was God's. He orchestrated it all to perfectly and showed His goodness too often for me to not think that it was for his glory. I don't know what it did but I know that God is pleased and that makes me cry in praise for my God who is beyond all things...

It's Done

For those who don't know and for those who do, the movie is done. Two friends and I made a short film for a contest where you are given a camera and access to a computer lab and a week to put it all to together. We thought of the idea of those people who follow their passions and these passions inspire another to go do their passions. An artsy movie that soon will be posted on Youtube for you all to see, and be inspired!

Most amazing has been God's sovereignty. I have already posted on this but I find the need to come once again. Most recently he has been giving me enough energy to get through the day and the late night editing. He has given me understanding in class and home works pushed ahead and providing for us when we need him. If it doesn't seem it is going the way we think it should He has been providing peace and patience. I know this movie is in God's will and I can trust that my labor is not in vain. He has been loving and good.

That doesn't mean following his will is the easiest way or a struggle free path. It has been hard and tiring and stressful and draining. I haven't been responding the best and I know I haven't rested enough but I'm working on that, actually I've stopped working as hard. I've walked in faith and in that I've gone through one of the hardest struggles, how to love those who don't know God. I've worked many hours on this movie with a dear friend of mine who to this day does know the Lord and several of these were during times of high stress, high tension, lack of sleep and disagreements and miscommunications. I want to respond to every situation as Christ might but I didn't always succeed at it; I've snapped and I've been selfish and not always loving. I don't know how Jesus spent most of his time with those who had not yet believed, how did he love us so much to continue sacrificing himself to the point of death.

Let us love as he loved us!

My Sisters

They're under attack, they're going through some deep waters that are ether Satin's attack or God's refining process. I would like to think it is the later where I envision God knocking them down and kicking them around in a loving way as only God can. It sounds like a bad image and rightly so it doesn't give God enough credit for how much he fights for us and his pure love for us. Tested in the fire they will come out more refined then before and that is the hope that I pray for.

One sister lacks sleep as she handles a trying emotional decision making process

One has roommate issues that have lead to stress and having to sleep on the floor

One finds herself broke and in need of a new place of residence, add pain and lack of fellowship

One has a lot of commuting that is keeping her from many of the people she loves and cherishes

One has been going from stress to stress and now struggles with an illness attacking one she loves

Many more out there I know are faced with struggles, decisions, confusion, emotional drain and whatever else could hit somebody.

But praise be to God who remains perfectly faithful, good and sovereign. He is watching each of these daughters of his with tender love and care and he guides them through the flame of sanctification. My hope is completely in God's plan that I know is perfect to a degree we only see more of as we live because we can not see God completely and live, Yet!

I'm not the only one with this hope, each of these sisters of mine holds it in their hearts and I have found myself loved and encouraged by them. They haven't chosen the easy way out and have not resigned to a pity party. They just want to see God's plan and just want to be a rest in Him.

I love God's love for us, I love the love that he gives us to give back to him, I love the love that he gives us to give back to others, I love God's love for us so deep and enduring... (If you don't believe this or have grown cold, read 1 John)

Pray for my sisters that they wouldn't lose faith, hope and love because without these they wouldn't be refined. Rest in him, only him.

Happy Valentine's Day

As the years progress this day has become one of my favorites. Not for the overdone pink and red, or loads of chocolate, or the flowers, or the little notes saying "Be Mine". It is a reminder to me of the Love of God. Is not this the holiday that is focused on love and who better than love Himself should be honored and praised. Today has been a day of struggles, trials, sickness, confusion and failures but it has been the best day because in everything that seemed to be going wrong God showed me the good. From a missed class he gave me amazing conversations, from a sickness he gave me the chance to trust in him, from feelings of dis pair and loneliness he showed me his never ending love and many hearts of stone softened today. God is sovereign over all and hears our every cry and plea. I got a Valentine that says "Follow your dreams on Valentine's Day!" By giving my dreams to God I am following in a different sort of way for today was a day like every other day should be like, a day of following God by the faith we have in his Goodness, Everyday fellow saint, everyday give all to him and when you do, the bad is seen as good. Now I must go to bed and prayfully I'll rise for another day of faith in Him, will you rise in the same way?

Praises go to my God today for everybody in my life that has shown me the love of Christ. Praise to God who loves me still more than I know and has planned my life out in the best way to bring him glory and shower me with all of him. Praise be to Christ who's death makes all things possible for it is Him that we all should strive to be like and he wasn't the one with the most flowers, the best candies nor the nicest, fanciest restaurant...instead he ate with sinners and washed his disciples' feet and showed us the best example of love by dying on the cross and let us not forget this sacrifice.

Caught Dancing

I was caught dancing in the bathroom today. I was caught humming a hymn. I was caught staring into outer space, actually caught meditating on his goodness. I was caught expressing joy in a smile and a twinkle. I was caught running and skipping for my King. I was caught praying to my dear God. I was caught in love with my God and at peace with His Will for my life.

Now really I had a moment today that ends or just continues with this post, in the bathroom I stopped and looked upon myself, something I try to avoid as to not get caught up with an obsession on my self. But stopping and looking stopped my rushing mind and pounding heart as I rushed from one thing to another. Busyness of life seems to be my downfall this semester. A song came on my mp3 player, the song itself not important what was important to this moment is that it was just God and me, not a test or homework assignment or ticking seconds.

I most fear the days that I wake up and wonder where the day before went, or week before, month before, year and next thing I know I'm 80 years old wondering what happened to my life, did I bring glory to God or did I just talk about doing so when time freed it's self. But guess what this world is never going to set aside time for us to do God's work. We have to choose to give up and sacrifice something in order that God will get glory but with God in control he will return the sacrifice. I'm not saying you'll get an 'A' in all your classes, or be prompted at work, or get the best things but you will have a 'good' life full of true satisfaction. Looking back at my years I remember most distinctively my time before my lord, my time of fellowship, my struggles and victories, my steps of faith, my times of praise and worship, my times that I saw god's glory and sovereignty. I don't remember what I got on all of my assignments and tests, what I wrote about in my papers or what my mindless chattering with friends were about. I'm not saying to put aside school completely but if you are faced with a choice between school and God I would choose God, He is forever!

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23 NIV

Since we have confidence let us! Let us brothers and sisters! Let us!

Cry for rest... better in David's Words

Do I trust in myself, in the strength of my own endurance?
Do I hope in the horse, and depend on the warrior’s might?
Or do I put my faith and hope in God alone
The one whom is victory and strength

Let Peace and Rest flood my soul
Hope and Faith guide my steps
And Love remind my soul of my worth
On my Rock and in His Arms I fall

In him alone I read and hear
There is no other like our God
I sing, pray and cry, Follow Him
But sin, temptation and the world

Why is it so hard to choose Good
Why do I let Satan in
When a loving gracious God
Is offering all of Him

Sovereign Light lead me Home
Lead me to the spring of life
The well of peace and river of rest
In you I wish to cling

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, O those who hope for His lovingkindness, To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name. Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You.” – Psalm 33:18-22

Our Sovereign God

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. - proverbs 19:21

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" - John 11:40

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. - Psalm 20:4

This stroy begins many days ago, but seeing God's glory began Thursday when God began to make it clear that he calls me to give my plans to him, to give everything over in prayer and let him lead...so I started to remember to give him everything, every descison, every hour...Friday morning Laura mentioned a movie making contest (a desire of mine has been to make movies, short little things but I have no equipment) I gave the idea to him for I didn't want to say for sure that we would do it without God's clearing no matter how much I was dying to do it. Laura and I even already had an idea we thought of days before any mention of the contest (God's sovereignty I'm sure)...it became clear that God was giving the go but I kept praying that he would receive glory from it. My fear of making the movie about God kept me from bring up any connection but that is where God stepped up and showed me how great he is. Laura and I discussed ideas for the movie during the last quarter of the super bowl, Robin also was there. It was the two of them (non christians by the way) that suggested the scenes of sermons, worship, prayer and bible reading. That fit perfetly as the ending of the movie. It may not make sense but soon you will all get to see this creation. Praise goes to God who brought it to focus on him and also made everything click and ideas flow and come together. I saw his glory today in an unexpected way and am way excited for this creation, continue to pray that as I work with Laura that she would see more of God as he takes more focus in this movie. He is a sovereign God who is orchestrating every detail of our lives, Praise God all the days of your life for he alone is worthy of Praise.

Power of Prayer

This post could be more insightful then it is,
It could be packed full of verses and deep thoughts
It could be a rambling of all the prayers God has answered for me

But it isn't
I just felt the need to share the simple truth that God hears your every cry and he is fighting for you. (Deut. 3:22)

He wants your heart and your life, give it to him!
Surrender and lose your life, just let go.

Pray, pray, pray
until your knees ache
until your eyes are dry from your tears
until your knuckles are sore from knocking
until God tells you to stop, not when you think you are done.

Prayers are to Glorify God, the one who is worthy (Psalm 18:3)
Don't we want to glorify God?

Say no to your flesh and kneel before your Lord

Lets us all be praying together!

Sick Scale!

My family is sick and no fear because I don't mind getting sick, knock on wood. It doesn't last long, you don't have to work or go to school, everybody is really swell to you, you get special things like orange juice and tea and chicken noodle soup...anywho my bbrother and me discussed illnesses that is their symptoms and put them in a scale of worse to less worse. (This is only an opinion based on past experiences and each symptom can be worse given circumstances. Many of them are related and having more than one always makes worse. And hey if you are sick you are just worse not matter what!)

Cough while having a sorethroat
Stomach Ache
Ear ache
Headache
Dizzyness
Throwing up/Nausea
Mucus
Sorethroat
rash/itching
cough
runny nose

Get Well All and watch out you nondiseased

Tribute to Junction City

This story begins the morning of the 31st 2006, 5:30am to be precise, Nick wanted to get on the road right a way. When we left I-70 was closed that is the road that takes you across Kansas and into Colorado, just the route we wanted to take. We took it easy hoping that the roads would clear up as we got to them. Another team had left before us and so kept us informed of the conditions. The road was closed off atSalina and the tail end of the snow storm was passing through. The closer we got to Salina the quicker hotel rooms would be going and so we stopped in Junction City, Kansas. 5 boys and 2 girls grabbed the cheapest rooms at anEconlodge and grabbed cheap food at Walmart, Survivor time! Two other teams arrived in the same city but parked themselves in a different Hotel. With nothing to do we visited our other brothers and sisters. We were all coming back fromFaithwalkers with High Spirits and excitement about what we learned. That is when the idea to put what we learned into practice right a way! We all prayed for our time and guidance. Then we set out to various locations, door to door, Walmart, Grocery store, other churches and Hotels.

My story of Faith took me back to the Econolodge where a few of us hung out with this family we met there. An Army Guy and his wife and three kids ages 18 months, 3 years and four years. The wife was on the phone most of the time and so we talked with the dad and played with the kids. I started playing with the girl, Laura 3 years old. Shy at first but like any other kid was packed full of energy. I was unsure of what God wanted to do with this time but that meant I had to take it by faith. I just played and laughed and what not. Laura began to becomefascinated with the cross around my neck and asked what it was, it took me three times to finally tell her that it was a cross that represented Jesus death on the cross for mine and your sins, I told her that God loved her. I have always had a hard time understanding how a small child could grasp the love of God and so here God was poking at me to share his love with this child. She played with my necklace the rest of the time and started flipping through my bible as well.

We all met up later and shared stories which I find I would not tell just as well but all of them we steps of faith I'm sure the Lord was pleased with. We worshipped and prayed and who knows there might be a little church springing up in this little town of Junction City? We rung in the New Year Together, there is not other way I wished to ring in the Year! To our Lord we gave the year! Next time you drive by Junction City, Kansas please stop and take a step of faith.

The beginning of 2007

We are to proclaim the glories of God and so here is one. I'm late telling the story but let that not take away from God's Glory. This is my last day in Arizona, I came here for a week after Faithwalkers to see my cousin, Aunt, Uncle and grandma. The plan was to fly out of Denver on the first to meet my mom and brother in Phoenix. My flight was scheduled to leave from DIA at 2:35pm on the 1st and here is my entry from that day...

Hard to believe that it is a new year, a year of praises to my God. I start this off with the first amazing story of God's provision. Well since we got stuck in Kansas (that is another story to be told next) I was quite some distance from the airport and my flight was scheduled to leave at 2:35pm. My caravan and the others we ran into all prayed and we set out early to get me to my destination. For along time I was unsure that I was going to make it on time. The roads were ice in spots and so we had to slow down and the first gas station we stopped at was completely frozen in ice! I was at peace for being on standby but everyone was committed to getting me there on time. Fast and choosing to grab and eat on the way instead of stopping and eating. Chris mad dashed me to the airport and I arrived around 1:50 probably enough time if the lines weren't so long! I realized I would have to go standby and so I stood in the much shorter additional service line. To my surprise I discovered that my flight was delayed by almost an hour and I barely made the cut of time to check in. Praises to God flowed out of my mouth. Even the ticket lady mentioned that somebody was watching out for me. I don't know why things happen to us but I do know that there is a big God out there who is sovereign over all. Trust in him and his will for your life. If you are ever delayed or things seem to be going against you all he does is good. I was blessed by this delay while from a different point of view it is easy for us to grumble but don't because God is Good! I wish I could bestow this peace and joy on those who might see it as an inconvenience but until we die to ourselves and our plans and choose to trust God's plan we will not expression the Spirit of God. May I not forget this time when I'm on the other side.

I want to go home

Many find it unbelievable when I say that I hate going home, I dread holidays because it means that I have to go home, they kick me out of the dorms, look at me strange if I don/t book a flight. Why is it so hard to imagine that I just don't want to go to that house in Boise? I don't call it home anymore and haven't for some time now. I must admit there are fun times and I do get excited sometimes to go back. Today I went ice skating and shopping with my mom, I helped make a cake with my brother and tonight we are going to all watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' my all time favorite movie and tradition. I could get caught in the family traditions and joy of the season but I just don't anymore, it is dead to me.

I try to not let the truth of Christ's birth die in my heart but it's hard this time of season, in this house, with these people to celebrate such a joy. A family that yells at each other constantly and hides it all minutes later with jokes and fake smiles. They try to buy happiness and eat happiness but because neither are satisfying they consume more, I'm disguised not so much with them but with myself. As I'm here I easily get caught in the search for satisfaction in such worthless idols. I get caught up in the variety of foods that we can make and eat, I trick my mom in to getting me those things that I think will bring me a better life and I stare at that TV watching movies and episodes of 'Deal or no deal'. It's not that I mad at them its that I mad at myself. Choosing things of this world rather than God and I wonder why it is so hard to read and pray when I'm here! Hard to believe God would still love such a wretch as me, but he does and will forever. He is patient as I need to be with my mom, he is loving as I need to be with my dad, He is forgiving as I need to be with my brother, he is giving as I need to be with my brother and I need to die to myself..."Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:3-4, but read it all. Christ was born and from there humbly lived, obedient to death, gave all of himself for me and you and my family and this world...dare I complain of my time here as this blog started as, I wanted to throw in the towel and plea that God take me home, I wanted to quit and live for myself in heaven, but that is not how it works only humbly will I enter heaven...I am not humble.

As you read this don't just pray for me but pray for yourself as well because if you don't realize the sin in your own life, if you don't see your own fallen world, wake up! We all need humility...be like Christ oh we can if we die, die, die to our filthy selves and humbly love and serve God's children. This is the family God put me in so that I would face up to the reality and see that God as a 'good' plan for my life, a 'good' plan that brings him glory not me.

If my brother wants me to cook him dinner, than I should. If my mom wants me to go shopping with her than I should. If my brother wants to tickle me than I should let him, and whoever asks from me something let me give freely...for like I told a friend yesterday, 'It is all God's' that includes our possessions and our very selves.

A Dinosaur named Sue!

I decorated this cake myself!

Sugar High! That is the only problem cause every time the frosting got on me I licked it off. I don't want to know how much sugar I consumed but I know it was a lot because I fell really funny! There was a plus to this dinosaur, to this massive cake project that my dad, my brother and I started yesterday and finished this evening. It was time together with the two of them, time not spent yelling and arguing but just fun time. Plus my dad got to pass his old cake making skills on to two of his kids. On another note it is a plus because when it became my turn to frost I was eventually left alone, so alone I listened to a couple messages and prayed, I got some genuine time with God which has been hard to find here at home. I wanted to share this praise and my new skills at cake decorating!



Now I got to help my brother make a homemade pizza! mmm...

(The dinosaur's name is Sue because one of the things we discussed while making this cake was Johnny Cash's song, 'A Boy named Sue', did Sue want to kill his father?)

Desire

I've been reading Harry Potter. I thought it better than me wasting my time on TV and movies. From the first book which I have just finished I have gotten the idea for this post. The mirror that allows one to see one's deepest desires.

Also last night I finally watched the second Pirates of the Caribbean. The idea for this blog also comes from that movie. Jack carries around this compass that points one to their deepest heart's desire. For Jack there was never a definite direction but for Elizabeth it pointed to where William was. The one she loves is her deepest desire.

So what is my deepest desire? What is it that my heart longs for above all else? I pray and hope that it is God but I'm afraid that is not so. What if I was to look into that mirror and not see God but instead something else. If I was to hold onto that compass would it point me to God and his word or would it point me down a different path? I'm afraid!

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. - Psalm 73:35

Look at what I have written If I had not the genuine desire of God than I would not have the fear of any other desire being greater. God is most important in my heart no lie of Satan will change this. There still could be things that I'm putting forward in my mind and heart and it is those things that need go. My pray for my self and you is that those things be made clear and be destroyed. If my God, our God is so jealous for our love we not he make it apparent when we are putting other things before him? Maybe not at first but most likely a situation will come when we will have to choice between God and our idols, that is when I pray that we burn our idols and choice the infinite loving God. Let us keep each other in our prayers.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

I caught you painting the sky,
I felt your tears fall
I heard your might in the rolling thunder
and now I stand in awe of You.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I want to wake to your beauty
I want to walk with your peace
I want to stand in your strength
I want to live in your love

~ ~ ~ ~ ~