A Look Back on 2010

Every year on December 31, I write an email that looks back over the year now passing. These are my thoughts on 2010...

2010 has been a year of change and transformation…not all of it has stuck and I find myself re-learning lessons even today. This year, God revealed to me the darkness of my own heart: Selfishness. Pride. Impatience. Unfaithfulness. Self-trust. I was saved when I was 6 years old—I knew even then that I was a sinner and needed a Savior, and that Jesus had paid the price for my sins on the cross. But the grace that made salvation possible is also the grace I need for daily life. I cannot please God on my own, whether for salvation or in daily life. I need God’s grace to transform my heart so that I can “walk in a manner worthy of God” (I Thessalonians 2:12). The Bible says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” I can’t have the fruit of the Spirit if I’m living for Laura. The passage continues, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25). When I live for Christ in His strength, I will be Self-less. Humble. Patient. Faithful. Trusting.



Those aren’t easy lessons to learn—and as I said, I’m still learning and re-learning them! But God is so very good. And gracious. And He is all my hungry heart needs. I pray that my life will glorify Him!

I also included the words to "Grace, Unmeasured, Vast and Free"--a song I learned this year that has meant a lot of me. The chorus begins, "Grace paid for my sins And brought me to life. Grace clothes me with power To do what is right."

My favorites from 2010...

graduation :)

flip-flops on the beach!

 

my missions team in California

my sister and I painted our room

 

at a friend's wedding

 

enjoying the zoo when Grandma came to visit

I pray that not only have you experienced saving grace, but that you are also seeing it working in your own life right now! Happy new year to you all and prayers for a wonderful 2011!

In Christ alone,
Laura

Mary's Attitude

Christmas is over, but I still find myself thinking about Mary. Mary was a sinful human being like you and me, but certainly she was very devoted to God—not perfect yet with a heart facing God in faith and humility.

“And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38, ESV).

Mary did not question. I’m sure she couldn’t fathom the depth of what she was agreeing to, but I’m sure there were various emotions coursing through her. She was going to have a baby! But that wasn’t supposed to happen yet…what would people say—or do?

But Mary said “Yes—let it be.” Mary’s entire life was changing but she submitted humbly.

When hard things come into my life, I’m not always so willing. Instead of “Yes, Lord,” I whine and complain. I want something else. But Mary acknowledged her place as a servant—and a servant says yes to her Master…no matter what He asks.

The Shepherds' Story

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o’er the plains,

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?

Why your joyous strains prolong?

What the gladsome tidings be

Which inspire your heavenly song?

One of our pastors commented recently on the shepherds. He mentioned that Luke wrote his Gospel from the testimonies of eyewitnesses--those shepherds were still telling the story some 60 years later!

Shepherds in the field abiding,

Tell us when the seraph bright

Greeted you with wondrous tiding,

What you saw and heard that night.

How well are you telling the story? How well am I telling the story?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them" (Luke 2:20).

Merry Christmas

from OneThing blog!

In the Bleak Midwinter

Personally, I don't think that winter is so bleak. :) But this Christmas hymn talks about the exalted Christ wanting our hearts. He doesn't need anything from us...but He does desire our fellowship and worship!

frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

 

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

~Christina Rosetti

The Baby...Son of God

What Child is this who, laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,

Come peasant, king to own Him;

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise a song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby.

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;

Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,

The Babe, the Son of God.

~William Dix

(I love the new ending of Molly Ijames' arrangment.

We're singing it in the Christmas service at church!)

Christmas Meditations, part 2

That is the beauty of Christmas. Jesus lived out the Father’s plan without deviation. “But [Jesus] made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:7-11, ESV).



I bow now, praising my Savior as Mary did: “And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, … for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation…He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever’” (from Luke 1, ESV).

Thou didst leave Thy throne

and Thy kingly crown,

When Thou camest to earth for me;

But in Bethlehem’s home

was there found no room

For Thy holy nativity.

Heaven’s arches rang

when the angels sang,

Proclaiming Thy royal degree;

But of lowly birth didst

Thou come to earth,

And in great humility.

Thou camest, O Lord,

with the living Word,

That should

set Thy people free;

But with mocking scorn

and with crown of thorn,

They bore Thee to Calvary.

O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,

There is room

in my heart for Thee. 

~Emily Elliott

Christmas Meditations, part 1



my favorite tree ornament
(photo courtesy of my sister)

 Even though I’ve been doing some warm-weather reminiscing, this is the season I love.



Christmas. Winter. Twinkling lights. Cozy blankets. Hot chocolate. Wishing for snow. :)


Over the last few years, I’ve had less of an emphasis on the externals of Christmas—the tree lights, the decorations…Campus itself does decorate (one of my favorite things to do between Thanksgiving Break and Finals Week was to walk back to the dorms from the library at night and admire all the lights :) ), but I myself did not have the chance to decorate like that. (Okay, so there was the dorm-door decorating contest…but I was writing a 90-page script at the time. Enough said.) The Christmas-carols-and-decorations part of Christmas only lasted the week or so I was home before Christmas—and it made me stop and think, because even during those weeks between Thanksgiving Break and Finals Week, Christmas was in my heart and mind.


I’ve also had an increased emphasis on Easter…The Campus sunrise service—I’ll definitely miss that next year! Mom’s exclamations about our church’s Good Friday service as well as the Easter service—I’m definitely looking forward to being here this time! The everyday importance of the message of the cross.


Christmas and Easter are intertwined…Jesus was born to die. Without Easter, Christmas would not matter; and without Christmas, Easter would not have happened. Christmas happens so that the cross happens so that Easter morning happens.


I’ve been meditating on that a lot lately. Yes I’ve been excited to help put up the tree this year and decorate my room, and I smiled when a few snow flurries fell last week, and I love the fleece blanket I’m wrapped in, and I enjoy the nativity scenes we have set up all around…and it reminds me to be grateful.


Because—Jesus humbled Himself ~

~leaving heaven
~being born and living among sinful men
~discipling a dozen men who never comprehended His plan while He taught
~letting Himself be betrayed…denied…unfairly tried…beaten…hung on a cross.


Then He arose! And He patiently explained it all again to those disciples who eventually spread that message across the world.


Every day I shake my fist at God—I’m selfish, proud, full of complaining thoughts and attitudes—and yet I will never feel the wrath of God. I am a sinner; there is no righteousness in me; but I have personally accepted His sacrifice on the cross and now Jesus clothes me with His righteousness. He died so that I may truly live!

Hark! The herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations rise,

Join the triumph of the skies;

With th’angelic host proclaim,

“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris’n with healing in His wings.

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die.

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth.

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,

Stamp Thine image in its place:

Second Adam from above,

Reinstate us in Thy love.

Let us Thee, though lost, regain,

Thee, the Life, the inner man:

O, to all Thyself impart,

Formed in each believing heart.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the newborn King!”

~Charles Wesley

Reminiscing

~quote by Jacques Cousteau



Nearer, Still Nearer

Nearer, still nearer—nothing I bring.

Naught as an off’ring to Jesus my King.

Only my sinful now contrite heart:

Grant me the cleansing

Thy blood doth impart,

Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.

Nearer, still nearer—Lord, to be Thine.

Sin with its follies I gladly resign—

All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride:

Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified;

Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.

~Lelia Morris

What is my

one desire?

I have Jesus,

and I am satisfied.

Thankfulness

Viewing life's blessings as water in a drinking cup, I know that I could discontentedly focus on the half of the cup that seems empty, or I could gratefully focus on the half that is full...


The Gospel reminds me first that what I actually deserve from God is a full cup churning with the torments of His wrath (Revelation 14:10 and Psalm 75:8). This is the cup that would be mine to drink if I were given what I deserve each day. With this understanding in mind, I see that to be handed a completely empty cup from God would be cause enough for infinite gratitude. If there were merely the tiniest drop of blessing contained in that otherwise empty cup, I should be blown away by the unbelievable kindness of God toward me. That God, in fact, as given me a cup that is full of "every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Psalm 116:12-13, Psalm 23:5, Ephesians 1:3), and this without the slightest admixture of wrath, leaves me truly dumbfounded with inexpressible joy.

~Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians:

Learning to See the Gories of God's Love;

pg. 47, "Thankfulness Enriched by Relief"

Happy Thanksgiving!

Silence

Silence is golden, so they say.

Sometimes, it doesn't seem so very golden.

Sometimes it is waiting...
                    wondering...
                        hoping...
                           praying...

But always it is God working.

*Joseph waited in the silence, knowing the cupbearer forgot him (Genesis 40:23).

*Hannah waited in silence, yearning for children (I Samuel 1:10).

*The disciples waited in silence, confused after Jesus' death (Mark 16:10).

*The intertestimental Jews waited in silence, longing for the Messiah to appear. "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son..." (Galatians 4:4). In the silence, God was working. He was preparing the way.

And because of the silence, the blessings were sweeter. Because of the silence, God's name was magnified and He was glorified!

Peter spoke of this, though in a different context. The truth, however, is applicable here. "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." God has plans for the waiting periods, for the silence.

Let Him work!

Ceaseless Praise

"Take my moments and my days,

Let them flow in ceaseless praise!"

I was singing this song recently and that phrase caught my attention. It goes very well with my previous posts about "alleluia." Take My Life and Let it Be has always been one of my favorite songs...I shouldn't really have been surprised that its message is the same as my newer favorite Make My Life an Alleluia. :)


Yes, Jesus, all of me is all for You!
 

"Let my mouth be filled with Your praise

And with Your glory all the day."

~Psalm 71:8

Alleluia, part 2

Make my life an alleluia,

a gift of love to you, my King.

I will join with all creation

in the song that the heavens sing!

The earth will turn, and the planets spin,

as the seasons ebb and flow; still,
Your grace surrounds me as I go.

Lord, make my life an alleluia.

 

Make my life an alleluia,

this off’ring of myself I give to You.

I will share
Your grace and mercy

for as long as I shall live.

When I come to my journey’s end,

may those left behind be reminded,

this has been my cry,
my song, my prayer:

Lord, make my life an alleluia.
~Ruth Elaine Schram,
vv. 2 and 3 of "Make My Life an Alleluia"

It’s one thing to sing it; it’s another to live it. But that’s why I pray that God would give me a deep desire to glory Him…and that I would indeed glorify Him with my life!

Alleluia!

Alleluia. What is an alleluia? I became fascinated with the word several years when I heard it used in a couple of songs in a way I had never heard it used before. I decided to do some sleuthing.

Alleluia means “praise God.” It’s an alternate spelling to hallelujah, “used to express praise or joy.” In my first distance learning BJU course I completed, I had to study etymologies—the origins of words. So I found this interesting: hallĕlu, pl. imper. of hillēl, to praise + Yah, God (short for Yahweh). When I ask God to “make my life an alleluia,” I am asking that my life would glorify Him. That is truly my heart’s cry, and this song resonates in my soul.

Make my life an alleluia,

a song of praise to You each day.

To proclaim Your grace and glory,

fill my heart with your praise, I pray.

When I stand at the mountaintop,

or the valley of despair,

this will be my cry,

my song, my prayer:

Lord, make my life an alleluia.

~Ruth Elaine Schram

verse 1 of "Make My Life an Alleluia"

More Thoughts on Job

"[Job] is called 'blameless,'

and make no mistake, this does not mean that Job was sinless.

The Hebrew word...means complete, lacking nothing, balanced and integrated in his character.

Like all human beings but Jesus Himself, Job was born in sin, and he sinned during his lifetime. Yet he is described as 'blameless' (complete) because he dealt with his sin in the way that God required. When Job sinned, he was sorry for his sin, he confessed it to God, and he repented and turned away from his sin.

"Job [also] 'feared God and shunned evil.' Job was complete and upright because he had an awe and respect for God plus a fear of offending the righteousness of God. He was complete and upright because he loved God, and he turned away from evil."

~Ray C. Stedman,

"Let God be God: Life-changing truths from the book of Job"

Our Responsibility in God's Work

Let us see that we

keep God before our eyes;

that we walk in His ways

and seek to please

and glorify Him in everything,

great and small.

Depend upon it, God’s work,

done in God’s way,

will never lack God’s supplies.

~quoted in "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret"

Ephesians 2:10

This verse has been an encouragement to me this year—and a challenge.

This verse tells me who I am: “we are His workmanship.” I belong. I was lovingly created.


This verse tells me I have a purpose: “created in Christ Jesus for good works.” Every day, every breathing moment, I have a purpose. I am to serve my King! I do this foremost by cultivating the relationship I have with Him (think of the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:1-7. They labored for the Gospel but Jesus tells them in verse 4 that “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first”); then I live out that relationship in practical ways to those whom God has put in my life.


This verse tells me that God has specific things in mind for me to do: “which God prepared beforehand.” I need not fear that I am useless or without talent or what I do does not matter. God has something in mind and He saved me so that I could do them! Does that sound unimportant?


This verse also tells me that I have a responsibility: “that we should walk in them.” The works are prepared, ready to go—but I must live out in faith and do them. I can react in fear, in disappointment, in self-pity, in frustration…you name it. But I have a responsibility to act in obedience to the will of God, performing that for which I was saved!



Life After Graduation

A journey. An adventure. A bend in the road.

When I graduated in May, I had vague ideas about my creative writing aspirations, about my growing interest in church planting, about the door that seemed to be opening to grad school, and about enjoying life at home for awhile.


Uphills. Downhills. A step forward, a few steps backward. Learning lessons--all over again.


A glimpse into my life since graduation…

*Family and fun and relaxation

*An awesome missions trip

*Summer birthdays

*A friend’s wedding

*A new pet :)

 

*A garage sale one weekend, painting the next (the reasons for my most recent lack-of-posting)

Even though life isn’t about pet fish or painting a bedroom, God is even behind the seemingly unimportant things--but I need to remember where my focus should be.

I wasn't saved so that life could be all about me. Jesus saved me so that I could be all about Him! Because I am still wrapped in finite flesh and bone, I battle Self. All the time. Over everything.

I look forward to the day that Self will be completely crucified for good--but for now I am called to daily "deny [myself] and take up [my] cross and follow [Jesus]" (Matthew 16:24). Galatians 5:24 says that "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Not an easy-sounding job description, but God promises strength for the battle and grace for the journey. Every moment is a new grace-and-mercy moment from God!

And once again, I am reminded to be thankful for His gifts that He sends and the work He keeps doing in my heart…


…for the precious kids at Sunday night kids' class 
…for the opportunity to sing at church in a girls ensemble
…for being accepted into grad school and seeing so many little details I prayed over answered
…for a mom and a sister to study books with and learn to see a bigger picture of how God intends for us to live
…for watching Him at work in my family members’ lives
…for being allowed second chances, for His love that overflows, for His faithfulness that He bestows!

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24 and 25).

Second Corinthians 12:9

Faith

Job wasn't perfect, but the Bible does say he was "blameless and upright" (Job 1:1).Even though God humbled and rebuked him at the end of the story--" 'I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.' "(42:5-6)--Job had faith. "Though He slay me," Job says in 13:15, "yet will I trust Him."


What does your faith look like? Are you willing to place your life completely in God's hands? Are you willing to leave it there? Are you willing to trust Him no matter what?


My Bible labels Habakkuk 3:17-19 "A Hymn of Faith." I'm always awed when I read this passage and forced to asked myself, "Is this the kind of faith I have?"

"Though the fig tree may not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

and the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

and there be no herd in the stalls--

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The LORD God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer's feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills."

What does your faith look like?

The Blood of Jesus

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?

Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?

Are you washed

in the blood,

In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?

Are your garments spotless?

Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

~Elisha Hoffman

I stand redeemed

by the blood of Jesus.

The price is paid; my debt is gone.

The chains that bound me no longer hold me.

Because of Calv'ry, I stand redeemed.

~Ron Hamilton and Cheryl Reid

And such were some of you.

But you were washed,

you were sanctified,

you were justified in the name of the

Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

~I Corinthians 6:11, ESV

Eagles' Wings

When the valley plunges deeper,

And life shatters all my dreams,

Then I lift my voice to Jesus,

And He gives my spirit wings.

God gives wings as easgles;

God gives wings to fly and strength to rise above.

God gives wings as eagles.

When my feet begin to stumble,

And my dreams begin to crumble,

I mount up on eagles' wings.

--Ron Hamilton, Wings as Eagles

praying as the sun sets over Camp Ironwood, June 2010

Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.

--Isaiah 40:30-31, NKJ

The Day My Life was Changed

When I tell my testimony of salvation, I always like to start by saying that my parents were saved in high school; not because God has "grandchildren" but because that was the start of God's work of grace in my family's life. Neither of my parents’ families are saved and they did not have a good Biblical foundation until after they were married. But Mom knew that she wanted to immerse her children in Scripture.So every night, Mom had devotions with each of us.

I always liked to hear the stories—and of course, Mom told the Gospel story often. But it was just a story to me, until one night when I was almost 6 years old. I went to bed that night after having our devotions, and I remember realizing that Jesus died on the cross because I was a sinner and needed to be saved.“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJ).

One of the rules in our house was that you never got out of bed after bedtime, but I thought Mom would be okay with it this one time, and so I got up and talked with her and I prayed that night, confessing to Jesus my sin and asking Him into my life.

It was around the age of 13 that I realized that being a Christian is not just going to church or even enjoying going to church, but it was about a relationship with Jesus Christ. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). It’s been a growing relationship ever since—not because God changes, but because I am changing. God is refining my heart and making me more like Jesus Christ. God’s grace abounds in my life every day!

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).