Wednespiration 10/17/12

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. - Saint Frances de Sales
 

"It's the evidence of things I cannot see
And Faith it's the confidence that You are holding me
It's stepping out, it's breaking through
All my doubts and all I thought I knew
’Cause you've never lived until you’ve lived
(By faith)
You’ve never lived until you’ve lived
By faith" - from "Faith is Living" by John Waller

"God is waiting eagerly to respond with new strength to each little act of self-control, small disciplines of prayer, feeble searching after him. And his children shall be filled if they will only hunger and thirst after what he offers." - Richard Holloway

Sorry...:(

I'm SO sorry y'all. I didn't post Wednespiration this week on Wednesday and I can't today! I have had a ton of homework so I haven't had time to put together this week's material. I'll try to have the Wednespiration and the message up tomorrow or Saturday. Again, I'm incredibly sorry. Thanks for understanding!
- Lindsey

Praying for the Politicians

God,               
Thank you for letting me live in this great country in which I am free to worship you and express my love for you. I pray that as this election rolls around, that you will grant both candidates wisdom and virtue. I pray that these two men, as well as their running-mates, will look to you for guidance in pursuing the job of leading our nation. 
In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

New Content! Whoop, whoop!

Hi everyone, Lindsey here. Just wanted to share some SUPER exciting news with those of you who follow the blog. Yesterday afternoon, I was watching some highlights from the ever-so-viral VP debate between Ryan and Biden. As I watched them debate and defend their stances on popular political issues, I realized just how critical this election is. I remembered hearing about the 40 days of prayer that people have been taking part in all over the country and it inspired me to start what would initially be a five-week prayer series for the future of the U.S.; however, I was then further inspired to start a whole new series of content to be posted on here every Monday that features various prayers and praises.It will begin on October 15th with the start of the initial prayer plan, the upcoming presidential election.
Have a great day & God bless!

Patience, Kindness, and Goodness Gracious!

Patience (aka "Forbearance")

I recently came across this wonderful definition of Patience on sermoncentral.com:

1. "Patience is self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate against a wrong." 
2. "Patience is the ability to accept delay or disappointment graciously."
3. "Patience is the powerful attribute that enables a man or woman to remain steadfast under strain - & continue pressing on."

Since Patience has three definitions, let's explore each one in a little more detail...

1. Has someone ever said something to you that made you immediately want to snap back at them, or maybe you even ended up actually snapping. I know that I've done this one more than one occasion. I often end up demonstrating the complete opposite of this in arguments where I am quick to retaliate and raise my voice; however, I have started to try to get better by actually listening and thinking before I speak in an argument. A helpful verse that epitomizes patience is  Matthew 5:38-39 (NIV) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.". Next time you find yourself in a situation where you feel like you want to retaliate, think of Jesus's words in this verse and demonstrate some patience.

2. and 3.  I remember the first time I ever tried out for cheerleading. I had worked hard, but I had spent more time silently criticizing my fellow candidates than I did absorbing constructive criticism from my peers and my coaches. When tryouts rolled around and results were up, I saw that I did not make the team and I was devastated. I bawled my eyes out for at least an hour after the impact of the results hit me. Little did I know that God was teaching me a much-needed lesson in humility. God likes to be ironic with me. I know this because every girl whom I silently critiqued had made the team. I realized that I had to start listening to my coaches and working harder. I did exactly that, and I am now proud to say that I have made the squad every year since then. I owe it all to God because through this, He taught me humility and the second and third definitions of patience. If you ever find yourself doubting the benefits of God's will, remember what is said in Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV):" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'".


Kindness

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." Luke 6:35 (ESV).  ''Love your neighbor as yourself.'' Matthew 22:39B (NIV). These verses pretty much sum up kindness. Kindness is the expression of benevolence and love. While it seems easy to love everyone, it is a task that is much easier said than done. It may be easy to love your best friend, but what about the "weird" kid sitting by themselves at the end of the lunch table? Do you show them as much love as your best friend? I'm not saying that you have to go over there and try to become their new best bud, but just try to show them the same amount of kindness as you show your loved ones. And what about that person who bullied you as a kid? The one who'd make fun of you and challenge you to fight? The person that you sometimes define as your sworn enemy?  It may be hard, you may be holding some grudges and harboring some painful memories, but I urge you to forgive them and show them kindness just like you would show to your best friend.

Goodness

Goodness has many great definitions (many of which were included in this week's Wednespiration), but my favorite one comes from dictionary.com: the best part of anything. To me, presenting goodness in this definition indicates that we should strive to be the best we can be in moral attitude and faith. According to Genesis 1:27 "So God created humans in his own image. He created them to be like himself. He created them male and female." (ERV). The better known translation of this verse says that we are created in His image, but I chose this translation because it tells us that we were created to be like God. Granted, we will never be an exact copy of God, but that shouldn't stop us from trying to mirror His teachings and ways to the best of our abilities. If we genuinely strive to pursue the exact purpose that we were created for, to be like God, then we will be more likely to exhibit goodness. Going back to the definition of goodness, we should strive to be the best, but not for personal gain. We should strive to be the best in order to bring glory to God since we were made to be like Him and bring glory to Him. 

Wednespiration 10/10/12

"There is no crime

In being kind..."

- from "Fear and Loathing" by Marina and the Diamonds

good·ness

   

noun

1.

the state or quality of being good.

2.

moral excellence; virtue.

3.

kindly feeling; kindness; generosity.

4.

excellence of quality: goodness of workmanship.

5.

the best  part of anything; essence; strength.

- from dictionary.com

“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

 - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Youthquake 2012

The music fills the atmosphere
Even the air we breathe has a vibe
The flashing lights, the speakers' boom
It all makes me feel alive
The drums become my heartbeat
Pumping to the rhythm of every sound
I'm standing on the bass
Because it has become the ground
The keyboard became my blood
It's flowing through my veins
The guitar became my skin
Electric and acoustic, all the same
Then the voices, oh the voices
Hundreds, thousands, tons
All lifted up and praising God
Each and every one
These voices have become the air
Filling me up with breath and life
These voices intermingled, woven
Praising the Lord on high
(by Lindsey)

Hi there everyone, just wanted to take a moment and share my experiences at Youthquake 2012. Youthquake is a Christian music festival held annually in Cullman, Alabama. I had the privilege to attend yesterday and see some awesome performances from artists such as Willet, Humble TIP, Bread of Stone, Da T.R.U.T.H, Disciple, Family Force 5, Generation Band, and Switchfoot as well as a powerful message delivered by Josh Kimes of Hillsong New York. It was an incredible experience full of worship, praise, music, and people getting saved by the dozens. Throughout the whole duration of the festival, I began to realize that when God sees us do things like this in which we join together to sing and glorify Him, whether it by the few or the thousands, I can imagine that He feels His heart swell with joy. In Matthew chapter 18 verse 20, Jesus says, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." This verse rang true for me last night because God's presence was evident at the event. I'm so thankful to have gone to and experienced such a great festival!
(P.S. The photo included is one that I took of Switchfoot.)

Peace, Agape, and NOT Happiness!

Joy

First of all, let me clarify my beliefs on what joy is. Joy is not happiness, in fact, they are almost opposites in my book. Happiness, to me, is a temporary,  hollow sense of pleasure induced by worldly pleasures. Joy, on the other hand, is an eternal state of euphoria that warms and even melts the hard outer shell of your heart, and it is a feeling that is induced only by God and His miracles. I remember the first time I felt joy was when I accepted Jesus into my heart at the age of eleven. I also vividly remember describing it through tear soaked, choking sobs of joy as feeling "like I was out in the coldest, frozen wasteland and Jesus just placed the warmest blanket on me, so I was not cold anymore." Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being happy, it's just that happiness will never hold a candle to joy.

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." - Nehemiah 8:10b (NIV). 

The what? The JOY of the LORD, not the happiness of the LORD is your strength. It will keep you going even when hope seems lost, it will radiate through you and be known by everyone who crosses your path, it will be the fuel that makes you a light for Jesus. Joy is an incredible thing and a joyful lifestyle is one the I pray for you and I challenge you to have!

Peace

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13 (NIV). 

When is the last time you felt peace in today's hustle and bustle, utterly chaotic society? For some, it might've the 5th of never and for some it might've been just last night or right now. I know that it can be hard for me to feel peaceful sometimes when I'm faced with stressful situations and I have no doubt that you are all in the same boat with me on that one! When I experience a lack of peace, I try to take a little bit of time to talk to Jesus, the Provider of the most blissful peace. Even if I just shoot up a quick prayer that goes a bit like "Jesus, please grant me peace right now as I face and deal with this situation.", it almost always helps to calm me down because I know that Jesus will help me to handle whatever stress I'm under. It is also a good idea to have a few verses to keep in mind in chaotic or stressful situations. (Mine are Joshua 1:9 and Romans 8:37-39.) When you take a bit of time to consult with God or His Word when you are lacking peace, He will grant you peace and help you with your situation. 

Love

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1Corinthians 13:4-13

The type of love that these verses is referring to is not the love that you usually think of when you hear about love. The love that 
Paul is talking about in this passage is agape love which is defined by Dictionary.com as "selfless love of one person for another without sexual implications (especially love that is spiritual in nature)". It is sometimes difficult for humans to demonstrate agape love because we have trouble with the whole selfless aspect of it. It's natural to us to put ourselves first, but we need to take note of the perfect example of agape love that is demonstrated by God in the verse John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (NIV). My prayer and my challenge to all of you is for you to take the characteristics of agape love that are listed in 1Cor. 13:4-13 and demonstrate that kind of selfless love towards everyone in your life. 

Wednespiration 10/3/12

Joy

By: Lindsey 

My body is lifted
My soul is free
Dancing on breath
Fluttering on breeze

High winds take me up
I'm sailing away
Don't worry, it's okay
I might or might not come back another day

The soft air carresses me
Then takes me afar
Gone from the troubles
Off to the stars

Cushioned by clouds
Bathing in raw sunshine
The sun cleanses, leaves me fresh
Strips me of the bad times

Pirouetting through the horizon
Gliding over buildings and trees
This is what joy feels like
So come and fly with me

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," - Romans 5:1 (NIV)

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's word with power, revealing all of His mysteries and making everything as plain as day, and if I have faith to say to a mountain jump and it jumps but I don't love I'm nothing. If I give all I earn to the poor or even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, no matter what I believe, no matter what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."- Monologue from "Proof of Your Love" by For King and Country