I AM

He is good.
He is sovereign.
He is power.
He is Light.
He is the Prince of Peace.
He is immortal.
He is God only wise.
He is.
I AM.

hallelujah

       "But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

That was me.

                "When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30

That was my sin.

       "But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)..." Ephesians 2:4-5

But God.

       "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:1-2

And we are made alive.

And God's wrath is satisfied.

And Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.

Hallelujah.  

JESUS

       I'm not very content, which is a bad thing. I always think I need more stuff, more time, better relationships, more abilities. I make a martyr out of myself and think about myself and look out for myself. And then something will suddenly snap me out of my little bubble of ME and bring me back to the firm realization that yes. Jesus is everything.
       It astonishes me that I can care so much for myself, while the only reason I still draw breath every moment of every day is that there is One Who suffered and bled and died for me. Jesus died for me!
       When I get snapped out of my world of woe I go back and I look at Jesus and all I can do is praise Him. He is good. Even when my room looks like six 2-year-olds tried to have a party in it (which is pretty dang near the truth), and the dishes decide to appear out of thin air, and my homework is in dire want of being wadded up into a ball and stuffed up the drain pipe (true story), He is good. He is GOD.
       He gave Himself for me, and that's why I give myself to others. To show them Christ's unfathomable love.
       So then I start writing about Him, and praying to Him, and thinking about Him, and instead of basing my life on me, it all becomes about Him.
       That's what we were made for.
       Him.
      

Care

Jesus does not ask that we care for the less fortunate.

He demands it.
 - Katie Davis

Roll away your stone

Seems that all my bridges have been burnt

But you say that's exactly how this grace thing works

It's not the long walk home that will change this heart

But the welcome I receive with the restart

 

- Mumford and Sons, Roll Away Your Stone

 

breakdown

 

"I feel it inside me
I feel You underneath my skin
These walls could not hide me
They could not keep you from coming in

So now here You find me
Right back to where I began
Come break me down with Your mercy
Come break me down again

I'm Yours tonight
I'm Yours if You can break me down
Break through these walls I hide behind
I'm Yours tonight
Come and break me down"

-Tenth Avenue North

We need to ask Jesus to bring us trials.

To break us down.

To ruin us with His indelible grace.

We tend to want to ask Jesus to take us over, around or above the trials that come. But Paul tells us something so completely against the grain: We must "exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulations brings about perseverance" (Romans 5:3).

We need the trouble. The long nights of pleading to God. The days of sin, confession, strife. Because those things over everything draw us to Jesus. And He's all we need.

It doesn't matter what you've done... God will seek you out.

He will break you down with His incredible, amazing, perfect love.

amar

I miss Mexico so much.

I miss the culture; the people; the late nights and early mornings. The beautiful mountains juxtaposing the exceptionally poverty-stricken cities.

Most of all I miss the love. When I was in Mexico last October, I saw so much love. In the midst of suffering and poverty, sickness, health, whatever the case was; there was always love. The care and hospitality that the people showed to me and the rest of the team was truly incredible. They could see Jesus in us, and we in them, and we loved each other for it. 

How different is that from our culture here in the states? We tend to "love" one another in order to get something. But halfway around the world, or even a mere 4 hour flight South, you can find people.

People who are being beaten down with true physical persecution. 

People who are in the midst of poverty and illness.

People who have endured giant floods and fierce droughts.

And yet they love; without condition and without fail. Because they understand that real love comes from One. And they follow that One with their entire being for a single reason:

He loves them.