At this moment, I am listening to "The Brightest of the Head" by Starflyer 59 **highly recommended!

Now, I'm going to turn it off and give you my full attention, because you deserve at least that much.

Breakthrough!

Sometimes when I have a breakthrough, I write it down and somehow think it will change my life. I look back on those breakthroughs and NOTHING really happened.

For example:

1. False breakthrough -I thought I would forsake my lazy habits and be productive if I just stated a goal in my mind and determined to complete the task at hand.

    It didn't last.

2. another false breakthrough - I learned that who I was at home would shape who I became to the rest of the world around me. So I decided I would be a completely polite and generous big sister.

    Ah... I'm still working on that. As of today, the best I've done is realize where I mess up and then apologize. In the words of my little brother, "You say sorry a lot."

BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN

and let's hope this one is a winner. I think it is.

True? breakthrough - The Lord led me to therebelution.com and on a blog titled "Lukewarm Complacency," I was challenged to answer the question, "What symptoms of complacency do you see in your life?" One person had described complacency as settling for "good enough." Well, good enough has never been good enough for me. But, I look back on what I could've done better and I beat myself up for it. This gets me depressed and in a habit of self-condemnation which provides no motivation for improvement. I was tempted to leave it at that; to leave it at my weakness, but the Spirit pressed me to ask why. Why do I condemn myself consistently for things I could've done better? How can I seek to do better without feeling despicable if I don't? BREAKTHROUGH - For those of us who are in Christ Jesus, our value is not in what we do, but in what He did on the cross. I've been judging my worth by the things I do, instead of seeing myself through the eyes of God.

Romans 8:1 There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The point, as I see it, is not to judge our value (for that is secure in Christ and cannot be changed by our action or lack of). We need not worry about that. Instead, we should judge our actions apart from our worth.

OUR WORTH IS SECURE IN CHRIST! *Let us not judge our value by what we do! Our identity is tightly bound in the blood-stained wood of the cross and the brutally torn flesh of our Savior.  There is nothing we can do to earn the sacrifice He paid and there is nothing we can do to be out of God's reach.



 



 

I just listened to a podcast at http://www.fh.org/advocatecast/stream/pu-029-the-poverty-of-abundance---jan-21-2009

At the end of the podcast, the host encouraged listeners to take some time and quietly seek God. She said that many times "we try to crowd out the pain in our lives with noise." She posed the question, "What would it be like if we took just five minutes... and to sit quietly before the Lord and listen as well as confess and share with Him what this brings up in us?"

I needed to write this blog.

"Big ideas are weak ideas if we're not willing to let them shape how we think and live" ~ Alex and Brett Harris

Dare 2 Share

I've been blown away by God's calling to boldly proclaim His faithfulness to the nations...and the nation starts with this nation, with this state, with this town, with this group of friends and this sphere of influence.

But what am I going to do about it?

 - In the next 24 hours, share the love of Jesus Christ intentionally.

 - To the point it that it becomes habit, pray for and with friends; call them and remind them of God's goodness; be a loving witness.

 -  Honor my parents.

 - Be committed to honesty in all things.

 - Study God's word relentlessly. Memorize scripture. Wake up every morning at 6:00 - pray, Praise God, and read the Bible; seek God's will and direction; wear myself out in prayer for the souls in captivity.

 - Do not lose heart. Do not give up. Reread this entry to remind myself of my committment and put it into action.

LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH

Recently, on Tenth Avenue North's website, I read an entry in Mike's journal - Chapter Let it Go. I recommend that you go and read it by clicking on that link. I won't restate the entire chapter. It's worth reading for yourself. I will say that it started with this quote:

 “And avoid fear, for fear is the consequence of every lie.”
-Fydor Doystoevsky, (the Brothers Karamazof)


I've lived in fear and misery more than not. I am saved by the blood of the Lamb. I should be free already, right?  What lie am I believing that is keeping me in bondage? What will it take to kill that fear & to live in freedom; live boldly with confidence? 








 

I'm sitting here asking myself, "WHY HAVEN'T I SEEN THIS BEFORE!!"

If movies change lives, Les Misérables is one of those movies. WOW! God is good. He is in fact the author of mercy, and it is the mercy shown by Jean Valjean in this movie that blows me away. It's such a Christ-like example! I want to watch the movie again and take notes. I catch myself wanting to pattern my life by this example, but then I realize that this example should point me further. I have overlooked the story of Jesus' life. I should be blown away just as much and even more by the life that Jesus lived and the death He died. How merciful is our God! (even more merciful than Jean Valjean)

Jean was forgiven much and he lived in constant remembrance of the mercy he was shown. I want to be more like that. (Luke 7:47) I am completely inspired by Jean's actions towards Fantine, the prostitute.

"FANTINE- I'm a whore, and Cosette has no father.

JEAN -She has the Lord. He is her Father and you are His creation.
In His eyes you have never been anything but an innocent and beautiful woman."