I Can't...

This week in #SheReadsTruth, we covered Colossians 3:18-25. One of the questions that was asked was "What is an area of life where you've chosen to work for man and not for God?" This really got me thinking. It struck me that there are so many areas in which I aim to please the people around me and not God. Even when I am serving, I do so to make others happy and not for the glory of God.

The other question was "Are there idols in your life that need to be replaced? What is He jealous for?" I decided that I have made an idol out of "self." Self-reliance, self-importance. Everything is about me and what I can do. But I realized that I can't. I can't do anything. I can't say yes to everything that is asked of me. I can't try to run a home, a business, and be there any and every time someone needs something from me. I can't make myself become a mother. I'm not in control of that. None of these things are in my power, yet I still act as if they are. Philippians 4:13 is for more than just running a marathon, folks. I need Christ's strength, daily and in all things. With God's help, I can do these things. It's just being brave enough to admit that I am not strong enough to do things by my power alone.

Here is a beautiful song by one of my favorite musical duos, Jenny & Tyler. It's called "Abide" and I think speaks perfectly about what I've been learning.

 

You strive, o man, and you strive again, your heart too proud to rest

You labor on, singing those songs, to cover your weakness

Do you fail to recall who you really are and Who caused you to be?

Return o man; return and rest, to a burden light and yoke easy

Abide in your Savior

Abide in His love

The labor of God is to trust in the Son

All you possess...do you forget, as if by your own strength

you earned it? No. He gave you all, everything you have.

Your righteousness, your life, your breath, your daily bread and wine,

His blood, His flesh, His love, His death, Your faith and endless life

Abide in your Savior

Abide in His love

The labor of God is to trust in the Son

Open up your doors

O my heart and soul

Open up your doors

Let the King come in

Let the King come in

Abide in me Savior

Abide in me Love

And daily I'll take my cross, follow after you Lord

Abide in me Savior

Abide in me Love

The labor of God is to trust

p.s. if you enjoyed this song, I highly encourage you to check out some of their other stuff...it's beautiful!

What has God been teaching you lately?

A Month of Thanks

So here it is.
The month of November.
A lot of big things are happening this month.

My husband is celebrating his 24th birthday.

Some dear friends of ours just so happen to be getting married this month.

Thanksgiving is this month, which means a couple of things:

      {1} Lots and lots of family//friend time!
      {2} Piles of delicious food [[most of it containing some form of pumpkin. YUM!]]
      {3} A new series of blog posts from yours truly. Each week will contain a smattering of things I've been thankful for recently. I would encourage you to also spend some time each week in thought. Think about what you're thankful for, how God has blessed you over the last week, month, or even year. Also, it would be great if you would come back here to share with me and others what you've been thanking God for.

It will just be one giant thankfulness fest! We'll join together and thank God for what he has been doing in our lives. It'll be great.

So! Let's get this wagon rolling, shall we? This week, I'll start with the big picture stuff.

For Example:

{1} My husband. Joshua. This man. I tell ya what. We are most of the way through our third year of marriage [[can you believe it??]] and we are still just as in love as the day we met. [[Actually...bad example because we despised each other when we met...but that's a story for another day!]] Anyway, we're still very much in love and he is continually surprising me with his love. Some days I feel so unlovable, but he loves me anyway. Unconditional love, people. There is no greater blessing.

{2} I have a great family. A great big, giant, supportive ball of family. They bless my socks off. Seriously. They are there for me [[and the husband]] when we're going through rough patches. They push me to use my skills for God's glory and not my own. They are hilarious, people. You should meet them some time. For reals.

{3} I have a place to call home. I don't mean our actual house [[although I am quite thankful for it...]] but instead the town that we now call home, Bloomington-Normal [[a.k.a. BloNo for those of you that are "hip..."]] This town has so many things to offer! [[I will be doing a post soon about an awesome new food experience I was recently introduced to. Be on the lookout...it'll blow your mind!]] Aside from the great restaurants and culture and thrift stores and gift shops and everything, this town has one thing that we won't find anywhere else. Our family at Jacob's Well. Sure, in the future, when we move on, we'll find other churches with other families, but I doubt that any of them will feel quite as much like home as the Jake. God has blessed us with friends upon friends [[most of whom have actually become more like brothers and sisters than friends!]] and I can't even begin to tell you what a blessing they have been. For a small taste of how they have helped us, check out my posts here and here.

So there you have it. The first three things in a long list of things that I am quite thankful for. Don't forget to think about your own list and also  to come on back here to share it with the rest of us!

Happy November!

Restoration.

You guys.

It's been a hard month. I've experienced a range of new emotions that have been hard to stomach. I've been on an emotional roller coaster, and it has been quite the ride.

God has been stretching me in ways that I've never before experienced. He's growing me for a greater purpose, and it's hard because I have no idea what that purpose is. It's driving me absolutely mad.

But God has a plan. I can look back on my life and see that God has had His hand in every little detail, so I have faith that He will bring me through this time.

I have had a song stuck in my head repeatedly for the past few weeks, and I love it because it stands so true. It is pretty long, but it is beautiful, so I encourage you to listen to it. The lyrics are below if you'd like to follow along.

You bring restoration
You bring restoration
You bring restoration
to my soul

You've taken my pain
called me by a new name
You've taken my shame
and in it's place, You give me joy

You take mourning and turn it into dancing
You take weeping and turn it into laughing
You take mourning and turn it into dancing
You take my sadness and turn it into joy

hallelujah, hallelujah
You make all things new, all things new