with my head and not my heart

*sigh*

this week I've attempted any number of times to make a post. I think and think about something to write about, and then I start it. usually I have a whole bunch of half formed ideas rolling around in my head on that subject, and when I try and spit them out, they end up all jumbled and messy and not really what I think I'm trying to say. so I just left all of them to be finished at a later date when those thoughts become more fully formed.

I wasn't exactly sure why I was having this problem, but as I was talking to my dear friend last night, I was saying that my walk with God (and much of how I've been going through life lately) felt very much right now like I was doing it with my head and not my heart. I've been faithful at reading the Bible, and mostly faithful at praying, I have lovely blogs that I follow, I've been going to church, I have praise music on almost all the time, so it's not like I've 'taken a break' from any of those activities. I just feel like it's all so 'half-there'. it's so much easier for me to just read my chapter or two of the Bible for the day then it is to journal, and even praying feels sort of fake. I've tried crying out to God, asking Him to let this be more real again, let me feel it. and nothing happens. this isn't a case of my not believing anything about Him, I truly believe that He is there, and He loves us, and "all that". I just don't feel it. I'm sure that it's something going on on my side (after all He's not left me, or anything, He's still where He was), but I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF IT!!

but then I was thinking about it. and I realized that it's what we do when we don't feel like it, that's what makes us grow. it's easy to follow Christ when you feel like it, when there's depth in your relationship, when everything is going good. but it's when it's not so easy to follow Him that we show what we're made of, and how strong is that grace that saved us.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:38-39

I can't wait until I start moving through life with God with my heart again! but right now I'm going to be faithfully walking with my head. if you are going through a similar experience, keep plugging away! if we all waited until we felt like it to do anything, we wouldn't do anything! rather, at some point, the feelings will follow the actions. prayin for y'all!

love Em

preparation

"Every experience God give us is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see." Thus saith Corrie ten Boom in her book, The Hiding Place; where, as you journey through the lives of the ten Boom family, you cannot help but see that this is true. There are many lessons to be learned in this wonderful book but it seems to me that this is the thread that ties them all together.

In any book, whether it is fiction or a true story, it becomes clear to the reader throughout the account, but especially at the end, that all of the events fit together in such a way so that the characters end up where they are supposed to be. The same is true with our lives. Each of our lives here on earth has an endpoint, and only God knows when and where that is, and what it holds. We can only see the events in our lives as we go through them, and then as we look back upon them. As we look back on our lives, often we can begin to see how certain circumstances will fit together, leading us to where we are today. This is valuable; but think that as finite humans, how limited our view of all that is in comparison to our infinite God. He can see the whole of our story, and not just that but everyone in the history of the universe's story - those in the past, present, and the future - and how they all fit gloriously together to point to the greatness of our God. Life is like a tapestry, from the bottom we can see nothing orderly, nothing beautiful; only tangled up threads. But from God's vantage point, He can see how it all fits gloriously together into an image, as Corrie once said "Only heaven will reveal the top side of God's tapestry."

Pain hurts. But pain with a purpose can allow us to hope. Oftentimes when we are going through a hard situation, when we are feeling hurt, it feels as if it is pointless.  But the Bible promises that this is not so! In Romans chapter five verses three and four Paul writes: "Not only so, but let us also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Another similar passage is James 1:2-3, which says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." Clearly, suffering and pain is not meaningless. We will grow through our hard times, making us more mature and prepared for what God has planned for us down the road...which will then prepare us more yet again for what comes after. Corrie also says “Our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things too. Don't run out ahead of Him.”

We cannot see the future - but God does. We cannot possibly know what we will need when we get there, or even how we will get there, but He does. That encourages me a great deal, knowing that if I am walking in God's will for my life that He will give me everything that I will need in the future.  Even if it means going through hard times; if it is where He wants me to be, then that is where I want to be, because "when a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.” (Corrie ten Boom) God is the engineer. Even when life doesn't go the way that I think it should, I can rest assured that God knows where I need to be going and He will get me there. There is nothing that can happen to me that He does not allow, and He will use all of it to prepare me for what He has in store for my life, to bring Him glory.

Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. (Eph 6:23-24)Blessings!
~em

life is beautiful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm16fvoVUYI

this song? on repeat this week. over and over again. and then again.

listen to it. slow.

life is beautiful. it's all those little things. realize it: you have it all. don't take it for granted because while you may have some of it tomorrow, rest assured you won't have all of it, starting with today itself.

take it slow today, look for all those things. those 1000gifts.

blessings on your day!
~em