Encouraged in Heart

New Blog

2010-09-02T22:28:00.000-04:00

Hi! If you've found this blog, I must apologize for leaving it so rarely updated.

I have a new blog, called Kinetic Love. I hope to update it at least twice as much as I did this one. Come check it out!

Answer Me with Silence

2010-04-14T10:04:00.002-04:00

Psalm 46
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Sometimes we ask questions. Why did this happen? What is going on? And, often we wonder, "Where is God in all of this?" The world can make us believe that God is responsible for the bad things happening around us, but that is simply not true. We live in a fallen world and are often subject to its depravity. God didn't let evil into the world. We did (under the influence of the evil one).

God doesn't leave us in our hardships, either. Dueteronomy 31:6 says, "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Even when it seems like God is nowhere to be found; if you truly know Him, He is right there with you.

In the rush of things, sometimes it's hard to remember to be still; but sometimes, that's exactly what He is asking you to do.

Silence
by Joy Williams

Are you listening
To anything that I say
'Cause I been praying
How many prayers can I pray

I'm still waiting
Maybe You'll show up today
I know You're here, but I can't feel You
And if You're speaking, I can't hear You
How much longer will this last

So okay,
Answer me with silence
It's okay if You don't say a word
You're testing me to trust You'll be faithful in this quiet
So okay
Answer me
With silence

Why do I question
Your intentions for me
When Your affection
Is a proven legacy

Oh Father, Father
Turn my fears into peace
I know Your love will never leave
I know You want what's best for me

You're testing me to trust
You'll be faithful in this quiet
Oh, it's okay
If You answer me with silence
And it's okay if You don't say a word
You're testing me to trust You'll be faithful in this quiet
So okay,
Answer me
With silence

Detours

2009-09-01T20:53:00.003-04:00

Proverbs 3:5-6

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Have you ever set out to go somewhere, knowing exactly the route you were going to take, how it would look like as you made your way there, only to find at a pivotal point in your journey a large, orange sign that reads "detour?" It's a rather disconcerting feeling. Even if you have a general sense of where this detour is leading you, it's not as comfortable as your preferred route. You were expecting to see your favorite tree, or that lady who sometimes jogs along the sidewalk. Instead, you venture into unfamiliar territory, trusting that these orange signs know where they're leading you.

It happens in life, as well. We plan our route very carefully, knowing exactly what we plan to do, where we plan to go. You will go to X University for 4 years, graduate with your bachelor's degree, and land The Perfect Job. Then that big orange sign pops out of nowhere, and DETOUR. Things don't look like you want them to, and you're not quite sure where you're heading. But... a few months (or years) down the road, you turn back and find out that the detour got you where you needed to be just fine. Maybe it was an even better route than the one you originally planned.

If you grew up in church or attended a Christian school (like I did), you memorized Proverbs 3:5-6. My former church presented me with a throw embossed with it upon my high school graduation. I never quite understood why it said, "make your paths straight." I realize now that this basically means if you trust God completely, He's not going to let you down. Because, in reality, the path isn't always straight. Sometimes it winds erratically. Sometimes it slopes steeply. Sometimes it goes right through the muck and mire. But as long as you know Who is giving you directions, the destination is the same. An alternate version says, "he will direct your paths." This is probably more accurate, at least for me. When I hear that phrase, I imagine God telling me my next move, much like a GPS navigator in the car.

Personally, I am really glad my life didn't turn out like I planned in high school. I wouldn't have the loving, godly friends and family I have today. My detours have made me who I am, and I thank God that even though I don't always know where we're going, He does. And He will never leave me stranded.

Waiting (and waiting... and waiting...)

2009-08-24T20:06:00.005-04:00

Isaiah 30:18

¹⁸ Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;
he rises to show you compassion.
For the LORD is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

1 Corinthians 1:8-9

⁸He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Who enjoys a nice, long wait? You're starving, it's dinner time, and you've gone to your favorite restaurant. You approach the host and she tells you, "It'll be about an hour wait." Your alarm didn't go off, you're already 15 minutes behind schedule, you pull onto the interstate and... traffic jam! Nobody enjoys waiting (well, I guess I shouldn't generalize; there are weirdos out there, but you get my drift). Lord knows, I have done my fair share!

I just started working again after being unemployed since December. Because of my not earning wages, I had to endure without internet as well. (Oh, the horror!) This blog is coming to you now because that long wait is over! Praise the Lord!

Waiting isn't always a bad thing, though. Waiting through a tough time while trusting in God can have a rewarding outcome. Romans 5 says, "we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."Amen!

I've never had much patience. Often if I know I can't finish a task as quickly as in one setting, I won't start it. I get irritated easily in traffic (but my new commute is teaching me a few things!). However, patience is indeed a virtue. Not throw around cliches willy-nilly, but many cliches become cliches because they are true. Furthermore, as Christians, we are called to be patient. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12)

Sometimes, the waiting makes things even better. Food almost always tastes better when you're starving. A pool is more refreshing when you've spent long hours in the sweltering heat. And there is no greater feeling of accomplishment than when you've worked long and hard on something and you succeed. I just want to encourage those who are having a hard time with being patient to stick it out. The end result is worth it! God isn't in the habit of letting His children down.

Despair is a waste of your time, don't you know...

2009-05-21T20:35:00.004-04:00

Psalm 42

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

³ My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

⁴ These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

⁵ Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and ⁶ my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

⁷ Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

⁸ By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

¹⁰ My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

¹¹ Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

I don't have much to add to this, really. I just wanted to share a psalm. This is one of my favorites. I really miss blogging and will try to update more soon!

Friends

2009-01-21T16:58:00.003-05:00

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down,, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

"Friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them..." You know, I really hate that song. Nothing against Michael W. Smith, but I had to sing that song at my senior prom, and therefore was forced to listen to it ad nauseam. However, the central theme of that song is true. Friends are essential to the Christian faith. God gives us people in our lives to help us through the hard times. It seems like common sense to know that, right? Most of us understand that the people in our lives serve to help us and for us to help them. It's a give and take thing. Then why do so many of us keep insisting on doing it all alone?

So many people (including myself) try to hide when they're going through a difficult time and not let anyone in. We play the martyr, thinking it's our cross to bear alone. But Jesus already did that, so why would we want to make things more difficult for ourselves than they need to be?

It's hard to put ourselves out there, yes; and when you let yourself be transparent and vulnerable, you're bound to get hurt at some point. However, the other option is to isolate yourself which ultimately leads to becoming numb or bitter and in turn will affect your relationship with God. He didn't mean for us to walk this road alone; that's why the church was built as a community. We are much more effective together than we are if we work alone.

Anyway, I've had this devotion sitting on my mac book for months. I finally got around to editing and posting it. I didn't delve too deep, but I feel like God just needed to remind me to not shut people out. I find myself in a season of my life where I can't tell everyone everything that's going on inside my head. This is new for me, because I'm usually such an open and honest person. Hence, I find myself struggling when I'm with certain people because I know I can't discuss what's weighing on my heart with them, and my first inclination is to shut them out. I know this is the wrong reaction, and perhaps I have caused myself more pain by acting in this manner. So God is working on me... I wanted to share it with you.

Beautiful, Indeed

2008-11-24T20:55:00.003-05:00

Genesis 1:26-31

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Life is busy! Busy enough to keep me from updating this blog. Just a quick little note to get us (well mostly me) through this week. God made us in His image; that says something about the nature of God to me. It says that there isn't a selfish inkling anywhere in Him. It also says something about us: we are, by nature, inexplicably beautiful. Yes, we perceive this beauty in different ways, but the very fact that we were created in the image of the most beautiful Being that could possibly exist should be a shot of confidence in each of us. I know I suffer from insecurity (don't we all!) especially when I fail to be noticed in the way I want (or by the person I want). But God always notices how beautiful I am, because He made me just the way I am, and He said it was good! Praise Jesus for good things! Right?

Anyway, I was looking through some of my old poems the other day and came across this one I wrote back in 2004. It touched me again in a place I very much needed. I hope it touches you as well. It's called "Beautiful."

I see a girl with not much to offer
The guys have always passed her by
I sit alone in front of the mirror
And suddenly I start to cry

Then He comes with a smile on his face
His love so evident to see
He cradles my face in His hands as he says
My Child, you've always been beautiful to me

Kids can be cruel; kids can be mean
So careless with the things that they say
A simple word can do much harm
And alone, I must face another day

But then He comes along, so gentle and kind
And whispers words so tenderly
Despite what I've known, still He insists-
My Child, you've always been beautiful to me

I know that life can be unkind
And most days, it's downright hard
The pressure of society, the words of a few
Can leave so many of us scarred

But when He comes along and lights up the night
Ablaze in His goodness and glory
All of your troubles are erased when He tells you
My Child, you've always been beautiful to me

And we are all quite beautiful, indeed.
(9-06-04)

Mirror

2008-09-22T16:35:00.004-04:00

Psalm 19:13-14

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

It occurred to me today during my worship leading class just how much of human behavior is reactionary and based on emotions or personal preferences. We were discussing the different worship movements in the church starting with traditional and how contemporary was a reaction to that, and now emerging worship is a reaction to contemporary, etc. I then made the distinction that all of these "worship movements" are based on our personal preferences, which in a faith that touts Jesus as the One we serve (not the other way around) seems kind of hypocritical, or somewhat pointless at the least.

The same can be said of our every day behavior. How often does someone say something that angers you, and before you know it, you throw back a particularly nasty barb to hurt them back? I know I do this all the time, or at least I used to. It's a habit I'm trying to get out of. When we act from a purely reactionary standpoint, we're only thinking of ourselves. If we could take a step back and evaluate the situation; God forbid, even try to see where the other person is coming from, we might be able to avoid some heavy conflict. How often as Christians do we let our pride get in the way? Maybe not in our relationship with God, but certainly with other believers. This isn't new: after all, Paul reprimanded the Corinthian believers for this quarreling (1 Cor. 3:2-4). If we truly love our brothers and sisters, wouldn't we try to interact with them using grace and mercy? Sounds like common sense, right?

But obviously it's not, if the church is so divided. How many different denominations are there? I don't know them all! And beyond that, there are sub-denominations- we argue about the right way to do this or the right way to do that. Can you imagine what the Father does when He watches us fight? I think maybe He might just hang His head in exasperation wondering when we'll learn. As the saying goes, Jesus is coming back one day, and He's coming back for a Bride, not a harem.

James 3:8 says no one can tame the tongue, and I've seen this to be true in many cases. But as believers, we're called to a higher standard. This means taking into account everything we say, even when we're joking with our friends. Because things said more than once develop into a pattern and a pattern can become a habit, and habits are hard to break. Then one day you find yourself saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and completely crushing his or her spirit. I guess what I'm trying to say is we all need to keep ourselves in check. Are the meditations of our hearts really pleasing to God? Isn't He the only One who matters anyway?

There's a song by Rebecca St. James called "Mirror" in which she says, "may the words of my mouth please You, dear God... take me, make me an image of You. Lord, I want to mirror You." What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Your Grace is Enough

2008-09-12T10:24:00.004-04:00

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That 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.

It has been a long two months since I last posted in my so-called "blog of encouragement;" the sole purpose of which was to uplift my brothers and sisters in Christ. Friends, I must apologize for failing to do what God has called me to. In my blogging absence, I have endured much mentally and emotionally that has kept me from posting. I felt I had nothing to give. This is never true! God has given me so much, yet my finite human mind forgets time and again how sufficient His grace is. Why do I fall so often in front of the One who gave me everything? I guess the simple answer is that I'm human. I struggle with that... my humanity.

I always bring you something out of my own conviction when I come to type. Often I find that whatever God is using to encourage me in my life echoes what you all are going through (and I use the word "all" lightly knowing my readership...) But for the handful that do read, I feel I must persevere. I have had a highly stressful week. I have a lot on my plate, a lot going on, and I keep freaking out. Every time I do this, I hear a still, small voice saying "My grace is sufficient." And I've been ignoring it. Then this morning, I'm reading The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redman for one of my classes (the chapter I should have read for Monday, but I digress...) and through his words it becomes so clear. I have been missing the point this entire time!

Redman talks about when Paul and Silas were in prison. They had been severely beaten, thrown into jail, and had their feet in stocks. If anyone had a reason to let their circumstances dictate their mood, it was them. But what did they do? They sang praises to God! Can you imagine being in that situation? Suddenly my massive amount of homework, my car troubles, my finances- they don't seem so big. Has God ever not provided? Has He ever let me down? Of course the answer is a resounding NO! So why would He start now? I am just wondering how much of His beauty I've missed this week because I was filled with worry and doubt...

In one of my classes last week we watched a short devotional video. The interviewer went around asking people what was most important to them in life. Most said they weren't sure. Some said money, family, their health, or some other facet of this American life. One person said God. Then a simple question filled the screen: "What is most important to God?" The answer? YOU! I hate those chain emails that circulate, but the best line from one I always remember goes, "If God has a fridge, your picture would be on it." He is our Dad, first and foremost. We are His children and He only wants what is best for us. It might hurt sometimes, but His grace is sufficient. It was enough for Paul and Silas- it's enough for you and me.

Your Grace is Enough

by Chris Tomlin

Great is Your faithfulness oh God

You wrestle with the sinner's heart

You lead us by still waters and to mercy

And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people

Remember Your children

Remember Your promise Oh God

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice

God You use the weak to lead the strong

You lead us in the song of Your salvation

And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people

Remember Your children

Remember Your promise Oh God

Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough

Heaven reaching down to us

Your grace is enough for me

God I see your grace is enough

I'm covered in your love

Your grace is enough for me

Nobody Loves Me

2008-07-01T11:57:00.004-04:00

Luke 6:20-26

20Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your
reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
24"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets."

Sometimes life sucks. It really just does... Sometimes the doctors have no cure. Sometimes the insurance won't cover it. Sometimes the car breaks down for no reason. And rarely do we receive acclaim for doing the right thing. Life is hard... especially for Christians. Jesus said men would hate us because of Him, because we're His followers. And do they ever!

We're all human. We all have flesh that we can't lay aside until we get to heaven. So naturally, we're all going to make mistakes. We will fall; and the world will point and laugh. Then when we do the right thing, they still point and laugh. It was never supposed to be easy, but there is hope. I mean, after all, we aren't working to please the world, are we? We're supposed to work to please God.

I think one of the biggest mistakes we as Christians can make is to get so wrapped up in what we're doing here and now, with the people in our lives, that we lose sight of our First Love. Yes, people are important; and we do need each other (Ecc. 4:12). However, we can become too dependent on others and what they think of us, that we let it influence our actions. We really should only be concerned with what God thinks of what we're doing, not our friends, and especially not the world. And when we're following what God wants for our lives, not everyone is going to like it.

So, if you're like me and sometimes feel like nobody loves you because of who you are, remember who your First Love is. He loves you more than any person possibly can. I leave you once again with a song. "Nobody Loves Me" by Derek Webb.

"I can always tell a liar
And I always know a thief
I know them like my family
Because brother I’m the chief
I’m a dangerous crusader
Because i need to tell the truth
So I’m turning over tables
In my own living room

Then I might nail indictments up
On every door in town
Because it’s not right or safe to let my conscience down
So I don’t care if...

Nobody loves me, nobody loves me
Nobody loves me but you

The truth is never sexy
So it’s not an easy sell
You can dress her like the culture
But she’ll shock ‘em just as well

Because she don’t need an apology for being who she is
And she don’t need your help making enemies
So I don’t care if...

Nobody loves me, nobody loves me
Nobody loves me but you

I’ll do whatever it takes to squeeze us into this wedding gown
I’ll say the words that rattle your nerves
Words like sin and faith alone...

Nobody loves me, nobody loves me
Nobody loves me but you"

Praise God. Period.

2008-06-24T00:34:00.003-04:00

Psalm 150

1 Praise the LORD. ^[a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

Again, it's been a while since I've posted. I find myself underestimating the busyness of life and overestimating how much time I have to do things. Or maybe I'm just lazy... I know I blog to encourage and I want to do that (otherwise why am I even bothering?) but let me be transparent for just a second...

Lately my spiritual life has been lackluster at best. I've let stress and worry invade and I am barely finding time to pray, let alone dig into the Word. It's been a while since I've had a good talk with God. But I realized something in the past few days that has kind of given me a bit of a revival (though I could certainly use more!)- I should be praising God.

Regardless of my circumstances, or how tired I may be; regardless of whether I can see my blessings, or even whether I feel like it, I should be praising God. Why? Well, for a myriad of reasons but most importantly, A. I'm alive... He let me live another day and He really didn't have to; and B. I am a child of the King destined to spend eternity in Heaven with my Savior. Sounds a bit trite, I know... but nonetheless, it's true. Right? A good friend of mine told me today that I enjoy being "mopey." At first I took offense to his comment, but after mulling it over for a while, I realized he was right. After all, what do I have to be down about? So, I put some David Crowder Band on, decided to praise God, and felt a whole lot better. It's an attitude we need to have... an attitude of praise. Because, well, because God is God. Do I need a better reason?

I want to leave you with an excerpt I came across in my journal from November of last year. It has really ministered to me this past week:

"Praise God. Praise God that though I grow closer to Him all the time, I still mess up. Praise God because He is the perfect One and I am not. Praise God that no matter how close my walk with Him is, I am always a step away from failure. Praise God that when I do fail, I'm only a prayer away from being back on track. Praise God that He has already won the victory because I am incapable. Praise God that He is not finished with me. Praise God that I am no better than murderers and thieves but no lower than kings and queens. Praise God that His mercies are new every morning. Praise God because He IS God. Praise God because I am compelled. Praise God because it's the only option. Praise God."

My own worst enemy

2008-05-20T13:04:00.004-04:00

Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

I don't know about you, but every day I fight a war with myself inside my mind. I love this verse in Philippians, and I try to remember it every time my thought life takes a dive (which is often, believe me); but it is quite hard to put into practice! When God speaks something to me and gives me a peace about a situation, it doesn't take long for me to forget that He did that for me and pick those thoughts back up again.

My mind doesn't just wander... it hitchhikes. And before I know it, it's on the back of a pickup truck headed for Tijuana! And I think to myself, "how did I get here? These cacti sure don't look familiar..." The point is, it's easy for our thoughts to get away from us. We have to endeavor to guard our thoughts at all times. And it's not easy! But when we let those negative thoughts creep in, and we begin to dwell on them, it isn't long before we've ventured into terrain we're unfamiliar with... somewhere we never intended to be, somewhere we weren't meant to go.

This especially true when it comes to judging our brothers and sisters in Christ. In Philippians 2, Paul writes,"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." I was talking with my mom the other day about the fact that our judicial system has a stance when it comes to convicting someone of a crime: "innocent until proven guilty." An attorney has to bring enough evidence against a defendant to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person did what he or she is being accused of. However when it comes to the body of believers and our opinions of each other, our stance seems to be "guilty until proven innocent." Brothers and Sisters, this should not be! The Bible says to esteem others as better than ourselves, not as worse! Yet, we often will be quick to believe the worst about someone because it makes us feel better about ourselves. That goes against what God wants for us- unity.

We are so much stronger when we are together; the enemy knows this. That's why he likes to plant the seeds of doubt and dissension and watch us flounder as we try to see just how many fingers we can point at everyone but ourselves. All because we let one negative thought creep in. Have I completely learned my lesson? No. And I probably never will... after all, I'm not perfect. But God has been teaching me four things over and over these past few weeks: 1. It doesn't matter in the light of eternity, 2. He's got it all under control anyway, 3. It's not my job to fix everyone's problems, and 4. Let it go!

Evidence of the Experience.

2008-05-05T12:46:00.002-04:00

God is still speaking to me about what topic to write on this week. I took a break from the encouragement business last week, and for that I must apologize. I wasn't feeling very encouraged myself, and it was hard for me to dole it out to others. How very, very selfish of me! God can use me even when I'm being a cranky little brat... How often I forget that. So, until I post this week's blog, may I direct you to one of my personal heroes (and favorite singers), Bethany Dillon. This is a blog she posted on her myspace... and boy is it GOOD! Keep in mind, she is even younger than I am! I amazed at how God uses this girl in my life, and I've never even met her.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=20956866&blogID=323691447&Mytoken=DF099C57-F8E1-4824-BF0E1E8CC847E8DB31731233

Don't Pull the Weeds!

2008-04-25T08:49:00.003-04:00

Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of the Weeds
24Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'
28" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
29" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' "

I wish I could claim this encouragement as from my own head- it's THAT good. But this little slice of wisdom comes from the mind of my amazing pastor (oh, and God's Word). I love the parable of the weeds. Granted, I didn't remember it until Wednesday night Bible study when Pastor read it; but now, it is definitely one of my favorite parables. The wheat in this parable are the believers and God is the Sower. The devil comes in the night to plant the weeds, the unbelievers who do his work. These weeds from biblical times are known as tares (in the KJV), or darnel.

From Wikipedia, "Lolium temulentum, typically known as darnel or cockle, is an annual plant that forms part of the Poaceae family and part of the Lolium genus. The plant stem can grow up to 1 meter tall, with inflorescence in the ears and purple grain. It grows plentifully in Syria and Israel. It usually grows in the same production zones as wheat and is considered a weed. The similarity between these two plants is so extensive that in some regions cockle is referred to as "false wheat." It bears a close resemblance to wheat until the ear appears. It is also gives its name to another edible grain, aquatic cockle, known as "false rice." The plant is mentioned in the Parable of the Tares in the Gospel of Matthew."

We learned this week that as wheat, it is not our job to point out the darnel in our field. Our only responsibilty is to grow as tall as we can and bear as much fruit for the Sower. I know I needed to hear that. I am one of those people who tends to be a litttle too self-righteous sometimes. I see people not conducting themselves "in a manner worthy of the gospel" (Phil. 1:27), and I am so quick to judge. But guess what? I'm not the harvester, so I have no right to pluck the weeds. It's not even my business to find out whether they are truly wheat or darnel. I am here to glorify the Father and Him alone.

I also noticed another interesting point here. Do you ever hear people say, "How could God let this happen?" or "Why is God doing this?" Does it ever just tick you off? God is not the planter of the weeds; He didn't cause the trouble in our lives. The devil came in the middle of the night, while we were all sleeping, and planted his seeds of envy, anger, destruction, despair. None of the struggles we have in our lives come from God. They are from the devil. God does let us walk through them, though... because it makes us stronger. The darnel doesn't harm the wheat. They grow and thrive together. I just love that picture!

So I'll leave you with one thought this week. Be wheat. Grow strong. Ignore the weeds!

Perserverance > Procrastination

2008-04-14T11:14:00.004-04:00

Philippians 3:13-14
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Well, it's appropriate that I was late on the devotion this week. I've had a request for the topic, and to be honest, I didn't want to do it. Mostly because I know it's something I need to hear most. Procrastination is something that many people deal with on a daily basis. But what are the reasons behind our unwillingness to do things? Or maybe it's not that we're not willing, but there is a hesitancy that lingers.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” Good advice, but for many it's hard to live by. The truth is, deep down we all know what we need to be doing and when it needs to be done. We make excuses and put things off because of the selfish nature or our flesh. We really don't want to do whatever the task is at all. We don't want to confront the nastier side of ourselves that the Holy Spirit is bringing to light. Because it's hard. It goes against everything our human nature wants. But it's also what's best.

When we persevere, the rewards are great. I know it's easy for me to say that, but we all know it's true. We have all reaped the benefits of trudging through something we didn't really want to do and seeing the end results. The best thing I can think of that would help is to visualize the goal and find something to motivate you. Talk yourself up, buck up, and do it! Sometimes we as Christians need to stop being whiny babies and "press on toward the goal." Jesus did it for us- can't we give it our best for Him?

Brokenness

2008-04-11T07:49:00.002-04:00

Psalm 38
A psalm of David. A petition.
1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
2 For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.
5 My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly.
6 I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.
7 My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.
9 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.
11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away.
12 Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception.
13 I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth;
14 I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.
15 I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, "Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my foot slips."
17 For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
19 Many are those who are my vigorous enemies; those who hate me without reason are numerous.
20 Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good.
21 O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.
22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

"Brokenness, brokenness is what I long for. Brokenness is what I need. Brokenness, brokenness is what You want from me." I love that song. But how often I forget the value of brokenness. This isn't one of my weekly devotions, but I have had a rough week emotionally. I'm not usually a "down" person- I'm generally good-natured and positive. This week, however, I have just been in a funk and a little depressed. That's when I remember that you don't have to always be happy. Sometimes God takes things from us because they get in the way of our relationship with Him. And it hurts... a lot. But we're always better off in the end. I just want to encourage anyone else who is going through a period of brokenness in their life: it will get better. And you will see the benefit of it later. Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Your Savior is coming quickly to help you.

People vs. God

2008-04-06T23:33:00.004-04:00

Galatians 1:10
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

K. I. S. S. Keep It Simple, Silly. One of my high school teachers used to say that all the time. He was referring to math, but I think it can also apply to most things in life. Sometimes we try so hard to over-analyze verses that we miss the simple message. This week I picked a pretty straight-forward one. "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?" So take a moment and as yourself, "Who am I trying to please?"

It's easy to write it off and say, "Oh of course I live to please God... I'm a Christian." Many of us, though, strive for man's approval without even realizing it. There's nothing wrong with doing your best, but it's the motivations behind your actions that counts. We've all heard the saying "What's popular is not always right, and what's right is not always popular." Cliched? Maybe, but true nonetheless. And that's really all I have to say on the subject, because let's face it: we all know what we're doing wrong in our lives. And we're the only ones who can change that. So I just challenge you this week to ask yourself each time you do something, "Who am I doing this for?" And remember, the people around us may see a "do-gooder", but God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

God is my drug

2008-03-30T22:44:00.004-04:00

Psalm 4:7
"You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound."

Addictions. We all have them. Some go to alcohol, some to sex, some to drugs, some to food. There are millions of things this world (and the enemy) has contrived to take us away from our first love. I love the old commercials that would show a teenager doing something he or she loved and would say "such and such is my anti-drug." I used to think God was my anti-drug. That my faith and my love for Jesus would keep me from doing the things that the "dregs of society" fall into. If this were true for all Christians, though, why do so many believers have the same addictions as the unsaved?

Anything can become a drug. In my opinion, obsession and addiction go hand in hand. Just as anything can become an idol if you let get in the way of your relationship with God, that same thing can become a drug if you let yourself become too dependent on it. In this light, even another person can be your drug. Dictionary.com defines addiction as "the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming... to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma." When someone is addicted to something, trying to leave that addiction causes withdrawal. Withdrawal is defined as "Discontinuation of the use of an addictive substance. The physiological and mental readjustment that accompanies such discontinuation." Withdrawal can be painful for addicts; they begin to crave their drug again and many times go back to using.

If you find yourself (as we all do) struggling with an addiction of any kind, instead of letting God be your anti-drug, why not let Him be your drug? I want to be addicted to God. I want to go through withdrawal when I don't spend time with Him. I want to need Him so badly to survive, to not be able to go a day without my "fix." It may seem unconventional, but Jesus wants every piece of us. If there's any empty space in us we're trying to fill with something else, He wants to fill it. God doesn't just want some, He wants all. So if you're going to be addicted to something, why can't it be God? The Skillet song "Better Than Drugs" says it this way,

"You're better than drugs
Your love is like wine
Feel you comin' on so fast
Feel you comin' on to get me high
You're better than drugs
Addicted for life..."

Further reading: 1 Corinthians 10 (this whole chapter is amazing!)

Rest

2008-03-24T10:45:00.007-04:00

Matthew 11:27-29
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to see. Sometimes we spend so much time looking for the bigger truth that we miss what is right in front of our face. Sometimes we spend so much time trying to be cerebral and intelligent that we lose our common sense. Sound familiar? I know I do it all the time.

I woke up late this morning, exhausted as usual from my activities of the weekend. Usually during the week, I am so tired and looking forward to the weekend so I can rest. Then why I am so drained again Monday?

Rest. A foreign word to many of us. Yet Jesus says "Come to me, all you who are weary... I will give you rest." Why are so many Christians tired all the time then? I think the simple answer is we don't go to Jesus with our busy tasks. We don't seek Him for help first before we get overburdened with life's many wearying situations.

I will leave you with just one question this week: what is so important that it can't wait one more hour so you can sit and rest awhile with the Savior? Sure, all those things you have on your plate are important. But more important than the King of the universe? Hardly. I think if we take a second, stop feeling so self-important as if the fate of the free world rests on our shoulders, we will see the simple things around us. The beauty waiting to be admired. The Comforter waiting to give us rest. Stop rushing around for at least 5 minutes this week and let the One who gives rest hold you in His arms. It might just re-energize you to be the superhero you think you are.

(If) Delight (then) Desires

2008-03-12T15:51:00.008-04:00

Psalm 37:4
"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

It's a familiar verse, one I'm sure most have heard before. But what does it really mean to delight yourself in the Lord?

Dictionary.com defines delight as "to have great pleasure; take pleasure (in)." I love the example they give: "She delights in going for long walks in the country." What an image! Does that mean we can enjoy God's presence the way we enjoy a beautiful garden or a mountain landscape? The only answer I can come up with is an emphatic YES! But life is busy... so how do we delight in the Lord when we're running the race at a hundred miles an hour?

We must become explorers, people who seek new and unconventional ways to spend time with God. Finding the beauty in the mundane is not an easy thing, but the rewards are great. In the song "Just Showed Up for My Own Life," Sara Groves explains what it was like when she stopped living life "sleepwalking" and woke up to the beauty of God all around us. "I'm going to live my life inspired; Look for the holy in the commonplace." Delighting in God isn't difficult, once you know what you're looking for. It simply requires a mindset to find "the holy in the commonplace."

But what about those desires? "And he will give you the desires of your heart." That's a weighty promise. What does your heart desire? I know mine desires a lot. The problem with the heart is that the Bible also says "the heart is deceitful above all things" (Jer. 17:9). The great thing about God is that He never changes. While the desires of our heart may ebb and flow, His desires for us remain the same. If we really spend the time to delight ourselves in Him, His desires will become our desires. Then we are truly left with a win-win situation. Not only will we be delighted, we will also get our desires!

Introduction

2008-03-11T23:55:00.000-04:00

Encouraged in Heart: Devotions to uplift the spirit.

Colossians 2:2-3
"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Hello, my name is Alannah. I am not a prophet or a preacher. I am just a girl, completely in love with her Jesus, who has a burden for the brothers and sisters in Christ who are perpetually being attacked by the enemy. Spiritual warfare is real and constantly going on around us. I see many of the ones I love most in pain and it grieves me. God has given us a joy and peace to withstand all trials, but often life gets in the way and we lose sight of that. The purpose of these devotions is to encourage my brothers and sisters to "press on toward the goal to win the prize" (Phil. 3:14) and to "not become weary in doing good" (Gal. 6:9). May you be encouraged in heart!

Love in Christ,
Alannah