Who is like you?

Exodus 15:11
"Who among the Gods is like you, O Lord?
Who is like you - majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working in wonders?

Who is like you God? Who. is. like. you? No matter what, in every situation - who is like my God? I am studying the book of Deuteronomy with the help of Beth Moore. It is a six week study, and I'm on week two. In all of the books, in all the Bible, Deuteronomy is not one I would have ever thought I would stop & study....but here I am, and I am learning SO much. Not only because Beth Moore can bring the word down to a level I understand, but because His word IS alive and it changes people.

Its funny looking back on how I got to this place of studying Deuteronomy...I will be able to expound on this more later, but for now just know it is a journey of empowerment in who God says I am. Who He IS & who he wants us to be. Its been amazing.
The biggest thing I've taken from Deuteronomy right now is in chapter 1 verse 8: "See, I have given you this land. Go in & take possession of the land that they Lord swore he would give to your fathers - to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - and to their descendants after them" (us).
A little back ground...God had freed the Israelites from the hand of slavery, and was about to take them to the land He had promised them.
*Did you know* from Horeb where Moses was taking to the Israelites in Deut. 1:1-8 was only an ELEVEN day journey to the promise land? 11 days.
Look at Deut. 2:14 -- Thirty-eight years had past.....overall it took 40 years. People...an 11 day journey to the promise land, to the place God had given them....all they had to do was walk into it.....took over all 40 years!
Is that crazy?
If you keep reading through Deuteronomy you will see that it was only because of their lack of trust of God & their fear kept them stuck.
Its sad really.
Granted yes I know it was for the greater plan, I get that, but how often in my life do I do this? Can anyone go there with me? God has this amazing plan, has this thing waiting for us...we can't fully see what it is, but we sit back on the side lines pacing back & forth wondering, stressing, contemplating is it for real? Does He really have a great thing for me? Can I really trust what He says, oh no...should I do it? Ugh I'm scared...then all the self doubt creeps in, I'm not good enough, what if I don't communicate well enough, what if I mess up what He's asking me to do?
And then before we know it....40 years have past.
Anybody?

I don't know about you, but I refuse to take 40 years to get to the promise land. To this letting go & letting God idea. Trusting that HIS plan is better than mine. Trusting that as I'm standing on the edge of that cliff looking down at the huge drop below me, I can shut my eyes & take the biggest leap I have ever taken.....and He WILL CATCH ME. He will catch us.

What would it look like if we started to operate out of the idea of "Who is like you O Lord?" WHO is like YOU? No one is more trust worthy...no one. When in my life has he EVER failed me? Who is like you Lord? What would it be like if we took that leap into what ever he is asking....today....instead of waiting 40 years?

Oh Lord, you are so trustworthy, you are majestic in holiness, you are so worth it. Make us into people that love you first and then through that love for you we start to live for you-- fully. Who is like my God? 

Psalm 63

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;

My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,

In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

      

Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your loving kindness is better than life,

My lips will praise You.

So I will bless You as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.

When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches,

For You have been my help,

And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

My soul clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me

Psalm 63:1-8 is my heart right now. If you look over it, look at the strong strong words...earnestly...thirsts....yearns...those are intense words. Oh to be in this place everyday. Longing, thirsting, yearning to be in His presence. 

Then you go on...the above is happening because David saw His power & His glory. He KNEW that Gods love was better than life...and the only response he had was to lift up his hands, be satisfied, and offer praises with His joyful lips. 

Davids soul clung to Him...and he knew that his hand was holding him. 

What a beautiful picture. He could say these things because he knew the character of God. He knew Him & walked with Him. He knew his love was better than life. 

What a challenge to each one of us & questions I'm asking myself....Can we honestly say we thirst, yearn for Him? Do we cling to Him? Is His love better than life? 

It is well...with my soul

To say this past week was hard is an understatement. My church family had a family, who is very close to my some of my dearest friends, loose their two year old daughter. In all of my life I have never, never seen a family respond in wanting to love God & make His name greater than their grief. Watching them move through this, truly changed me. And many others. I have not been directly involved in walking with this family, but as my close friends have, I have felt their heartache. I have ached inside for them & wept many times on their behalf. I have watched the body of Christ in ACTION. I keep seeing this picture of two people who are trying their best to hold themselves up, and under their arms are great & dear friends holding them up, and as the task gets harder & hard, those friends become weak & need help. So more friends come under those friends & lift their arms up as they hold the family up, as those get weak more come & hold them up, then more come under them, and more & more keep coming. Holding one another up.
That is the body. Doing life together. Moving & aching, weeping & morning, rejoicing, and worshiping. Together.
That is the body of Christ. I have seen this displayed in many ways throughout the years, but none like this. Perhaps its because I am closer to the grief than I have been before. Either way. This is faith lived out.
So we respond like Job. All of us in our different levels of loving & walking with this family through this grief & we say:

42 Then Job answered the Lord and said, 

“I know that You can do all things,

And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,

Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

‘Hear, now, and I will speak;

I will ask You, and You instruct me.’

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;

But now my eye sees You;

Therefore I retract,

And I repent in dust and ashes.” 

Job 42:1-6

So Lord, whatever you have for us we will walk in your truth. You ARE good. We don't always understand, but you are God & we are not. I am praying with my family that lives would come to know you through this situation. As we walk through this life from here on out, would you helps us to trust you more and say....whatever may come...whatever will be.....it is well, with my soul. ♥

Truth

Lately I've been researching & digging into truths about God & truths about what God says about me. Some truths I've learned or really started grabbing ahold of are:

-God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
-God loves believers.
-We have been chosen in Christ for God.
-God, in His holy, most righteous, most perfect, full of splendor, self...has set is affections on me (us!).
-He asks us to set our affections upon him in the same way.
-If we are fully focused on him our relationship with Him will eclipse everything else in our lives.
-His love will carry us through any hardship.
-Psalm 63:3 says, "Your love is better than life." and I believe that.
-Absolutely nothing compares to Him.
-Our souls were meant to feast on Him.
-He WANTS to satisfy our souls with His unfailing love.
-We were meant & created to thrive on the riches of His love.
-If you ask him to rid us of the lesser gods in our lives, He will not only fill that cup, but overflow it.
-We are tremendously significant to God.
-Loving us was better than sparing Christ's life.......if that one doesn't sink deep I don't know what will.

Your love, O Lord, is better than Life!

"Let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy! Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:11-12

{Last} Full time Friday

Today is my last full time friday.
I have two more full time days total.
Monday & Tuesday.
Why am I nervous?
I'm excited.
But nervous.
But excited.
Change.
Yikes, but EEEEK!!!

Got it? hahaha

Holy Crow

Its January 8, 2013 people! In two days I will have lived in Lynchburg 13 years! That is longer than any other place I have lived. Crazy. Growing up in Colorado, never in my wildest dreams, did I think I would be living in a state that I used to only look at on the map. Crazy how God moves & directs & changes our expectations of the course of our lives. With a 2 1/2  year old & a 5 month old, a marriage that is becoming more & more beautiful with each year, with a job I absolutely love, and a God that thinks I am worth using and making a difference....I'd say my life is so full.
Not how I planned.
But its beautiful because its his story, and his story is so much MORE than my little head could dream up.
I'm not sure where life has you right now, but from my experience, surrendering your will, your plans, your expectations, dreams, and whatever else you thought your "life" should be, over to Him, has a much greater reward than if we were to come up with our plans.
I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment & let me know how I could pray for you.
I hope today finds you resting in His sweet, sweet grace. ♥

This is why....

 

This morning has presented yet another um...we'll call it....a test of my patience. :)
People being hateful around the holidays....man...its just so sad, isn't it? I mean being hateful at any point of the year is so crummy, but around the holidays is exceptionally crummy.

So today in my current "challenge" I am holding tight to Matthew 5:14-16. This is why we as followers are to respond well. To love big. To help when people hurt you. To stay consistent. SO THAT.....they might see & Glorify the Father.
Oh Lord, help me respond well...so that....

Matthew 5:14-16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.