Where my heart is...

DESTINY OF HOLINESS
-Oswald Chambers

"Ye shall be holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:16 (R.V.)

"Continually restate to yourself what the purpose of your life is. The destined end of man is not happiness, nor health, but holiness. Nowadays we have far too many affinities, we are dissipated with them; right, good, noble affinities which will yet have their fulfillment, but in the meantime God has to atrophy them. The one thing that matters is whether a man will accept the God Who will make him holy. At all costs a man must be rightly related to God.

Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe God can come into me and make me holy? If by your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it must reveal that I am unholy; but it also awakens an intense craving. God has one destined end for mankind, viz., holiness. His one aim is the production of saints. God is not an eternal blessing-machine for men; He did not come to save men out of pity: He came to save men because He had created them to be holy. The Atonement means that God can put me back into perfect union with Himself, without a shadow between, through the Death of Jesus Christ.

Never tolerate through sympathy with yourself or with others any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means unsullied walking with the feet, unsullied talking with the tongue, unsullied thinking with the mind - every detail of the life under the scrutiny of God. Holiness is not only what God gives me, but what I manifest that God has given me..."


**This excerpt is printed out in *teeny tiny* font and taped into the front of my pocket Bible. I read it often and have on more than one occasion been tempted to get "unsullied talking with the tongue" tattooed on my wrist (but I usually have "beloved" or "poiðhma" written there, so for the time being, I'll stick with the "dry erase tattoo" system that I've already got going on).

sometimes there are no answers...

For the Luceros and the Chapmans


Natalie Grant - Held
Two months is too little.
They let him go.
They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would
Take a child from his mother while she prays
Is appalling.

Who told us we’d be rescued?
What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?
We’re asking why this happens
To us who have died to live?
It’s unfair.

Chorus:
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was

When everything fell
We’d be held.

This hand is bitterness.
We want to taste it, let the hatred NUMB our sorrow.
The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was

When everything fell
We’d be held.

Bridge:
If hope is born of suffering.
If this is only the beginning.
Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)
This is what it means to be held.
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive.
This is what it is to be loved.
And to know that the promise was

When everything fell
We’d be held.

Have You Ever...

this song just popped up on my pandora station and gave me chills... go right now and listen to it. go. why are you still reading this??



Have You Ever
Written by Shawn McDonald

Have you ever wanted to be someone else
Have you ever wanted just to be someone
Have you ever wanted to reach your dreams
Have you ever wanted life to be more than it seems
I have tasted of a love so wide
That it stops all my time
I have tasted of a love so deep
That it blows my mind
Have you ever wanted to reach up and touch the sky
Have you ever wanted to pack it up and say good-bye
Have you ever wanted someone to care
Have you ever wanted someone to be there
He is sweet, He is sweet
What your looking for
Is my sweet, sweet Jesus
What You're looking for
Is my sweet Lord

less like haunting, more like remember...

I found a new blog today.
Well, actually, it found me. and in it are some of the most thoughtful, candid, transparent and honest entries from a man who's heart's desire is to follow hard after the heart of God and to be found in him.
As I was reading this blog, I came across a comment that struck me like a baseball bat across the back of my head:
Sometimes it feels like my memories are killing my soul.

Sometimes memories hurt. Sometimes they're terrifying. Sometimes embarrassing. Sometimes haunting.

I need to be aware: where is my focus? Who am i giving my thoughts to? Am I holding every thought captive and bathing it in prayer?
am i allowing my past and my guilt to dictate my future?
i constantly have to stop and remind myself "no! i'm forgiven, i'm freed, i'm redeemed! that's not who i am anymore"

thank you, jesus...

jesus....

You are my holiday
You are right in the middle of me
You are my hideaway
You are home

I’m calling out your name
Oh my holiday
You make my heart new
And I love you!
What it is I’m trying to say
Is you are my favorite part of me

Holiday by Shane and Shane

what I've learned (or re-learned) in the last week..

if you leave the unenclosed room and people can still smell you... you're wearing too much perfume.
what may be "not that big of a deal" to you can mean the world to someone else...
every day is a gift, nothing is promised, every breath is a gift from God.
I am in control of nothing. Except my attitude.
I must strive to put flesh and blood on the Reconciliation of all things...
Laughing makes it better, no matter how much it hurts

Dear Professor Isaacs,

Remember that paper I wrote about the symbolism in Harry Potter and speculating as to the author's intentions? And remember how you wouldn't say in class what you thought but then told me in your office that you agreed with me?
We were right.
Feels good, huh?
Amber

i blooped

The Jars of Clay concert last night was amazing. NeedToBreathe opened for them and let me just say that I am now a fan. Those guys are super rad and I can't wait to get their cd's. In fact, they were so good that they inspired me to write my first fan letter. That's right, I'm 24 years old and this morning was the first time I've ever written a band to tell them how much I love them.
Jars gave an excellent show as well, except Dan dances like Buster from Arrested Development, which was a little distracting at times. Aside from that, they did not dissapoint. In fact, we got to be at a "special" night where the concert was videotaped (maybe for a new DVD??) AND they played CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!

75 days till Christmas!!!

(Brian and Brent: stop rolling your eyes)

He is...

I know now Lord, why you utter no answer. You yourself are the answer. Before your face questions die away. What other answer would suffice?
C.S. Lewis