5: closer

So I didn't realize I was starting this the week of exams. There was just no time to post... or breath for that matter.

This is a great song. Inspired by my lovely friend Hailey Stambach. :)

4: The Stand

THE STAND/by: Hillsong United 

You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You
So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

So over the past couple of days I've been missing Cedarville like crazy. I mainly miss my friends... but chapel everyday, the environment, and the independence of it, I seem to miss too. I'm due for a visit :) Anyways, I love this song. We used to sing it in chapel all the time and it always pulled at my heart. I need to be reminded to offer my heart completely to Him and worship Him as the Creator he is!

at 20 years of age...

At twenty years of age I'm still looking for a dream
A war's already waged for my destiny
But You've already won the battle
And You've got great plans for me
Though I can’t always see

(Chorus)
‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

When I was just a girl I thought I had it figured out
My life would turn out right, and I'd make it here somehow
But things don't always come that easy
And sometimes I would doubt

(Chorus)

And you’re free to be you

Sometimes I believe that I can do anything
Yet other times I think I've got nothing good to bring
But You look at my heart and You tell me
That I've got all You seek
And it’s easy to believe
Even though 

(Chorus) 

This is kind of the story of my life right now. Sometimes I worry about what could come next, but He's already won that battle. He has great plans for me! :) What a comfort it is to know that even though I have a few rips in my jeans and dents in my fender, he accepts me and tells me I've got all He seeks.

day 2: For the Glory of Your Name

For the Glory of Your Name by: Michelle Tumes

We've sang this song numerous times in choir, but today it hit me differently. The lyrics are awesome! I'm not going to lie... I think our church choir sings it better, but the lyrics are what count.

"My whole intent of being here is to make God smile!" :) Let us do everything for the glory of His name!

30 day song challenge... day #1

I love music. Plain and simple. I play the radio/Pandora rather well! ;) So for the next 30 days I'm going to try my best to post a song that I heard throughout the day. Some days I'll have a chance to say a word or two about the song, and some days it'll just be a song I enjoyed and want to share with you all.

Today, as I was reading 1 Peter (my all-time favorite book of the Bible), I was reminded of WHY we should rejoice and WHY we suffer.

⁴to^(K) an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and^(L) unfading,^(M) kept in heaven for you, ⁵who by God’s power are being guarded^(N) through faith for a salvation^(O) ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷so that^(Q) the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes^(R) though it is tested by^(S) fire—may be found to result in^(T) praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:4-7)

By His grace, we have an inheritance that can't perish. Eternal life with Him awaits. It simply can't get better than that! :) We should have an inexpressible joy(v.8) and rejoice always(1 Thess 5:16).

He tests the genuineness of our faith. Are we for real? Do we truly trust in His promises? And how we react to/deal with these trials and sufferings, should bring Him praise and glory. Because He deserves that much!

So the song for today is... "God in Me" by Daniel Doss Band. (Click "God in Me" to hear it!) I had never heard this song before, but it's rich. I encourage you to listen to it. The music makes the lyrics more profound I think. Good stuff.

It’s not the melody that brings me to you
It’s not even the words that burn in my heart
It’s not the wonderful sounds that cause me to sing
It is knowing you and what you’ve done in me 

You are the song of my life

You are the dance in my feet

You are the voice of my heart

You are God in me

You are the bread of my life

You are the life giving drink

You are the everything

You are God in me

Yeah

So I will sing my life a song to remain

And whatever I do it’s all for your fame

Because it’s your beautiful self that causes me to sing

About knowing you and what you do in me

You are the song of my life

You are the dance in my feet

You are the voice of my heart

You are God in me

You are the bread of my life

You are the life giving drink

You are the everything

You are God in me

Yeah me in you

And you in me

I will never stop knowing the joy that you bring

And me in you

And you in me

I will never stop tasting, tasting your goodness

Oh your goodness

Oh You are the song of my life

You are the dance in my feet

You are the voice of my heart

You are God in me

Oh You are the bread of my life

You are the life giving drink yeah

You are the everything

You are God in me

Yeah Yeah Yeah

hello 2011!

As I sit here and reflect, I feel so blessed. 2010 was great. I can see how my faith grew and strengthened throughout this past year and it's amazing! I was in His will the whole time :) My resolution every year is to fall deeper in love with my Savior and at any cost. Because His ways are perfect! I can honestly say that my resolution came true. I experienced things that I didn't think I could handle, but He knew all along that I was strong enough and He'd be there to walk me through each step. And I love Him for that.

• 2010 started with going back to Cedarville Univ. after a long/great Christmas break at home with my family. I remember that being a sweet time, especially with my mom healing and our lives changing.
• Then, in February I left the United States for the very first time. I went to Knockpatrick, Jamaica to serve at a Deaf school with a group from CU for a week. Usually when you hear from people who have gone on an overseas mission trip, their lives were "changed forever." I remember being there and not feeling that way at all. I knew I was soaking it all in and loving every minute of it, but I knew, realistically, I couldn't just leave everything I was doing and serve in Jamaica. I felt like it wasn't changing who I was. So the question to myself was, "How is this going to affect ME when I go back? Does God have something bigger for me at home?" I remember praying on the plane ride back and thinking, "God, I love the Deaf culture and language, but I'm a Middle Childhood Edu major at Cedarville. The two don't match. But Lord, I'm willing to be anywhere you want me to be and do anything you want me to do." (Oh, and don't forget, I was the girl who thought kids were dumb for changing their major or being undecided. Go figure, God would take the reigns and "show me who's boss!" ha!)
• Sure enough, God didn't have to change who I was. He just helped me dig deep and find it. He gave peace to my heart to leave Cedarville, which btw I thought I would NEVER do, and He encouraged me to pursue my love for Sign Language and the Deaf culture. From March to May, it was rough. The days were up and down. I didn't WANT to leave Cedarville, but I knew He was tugging at my heart and wanting me to pursue other things at home. So I obeyed Him and did just that. I didn't say it was easy, but He gave me enough peace to push through. 
• So I finished out the semester, said goodbye to my friends and the college I always dreamed of going to. While packing up the car, I remember thinking "This is a joyous day and there's no such thing as goodbyes with Christian brothers and sisters." That was all God... I had peace. He gave me the opportunity to attend my childhood-dream-school for a year. I had to look at it like He wasn't taking that away, but giving me new opportunities to serve Him :)
• I had an amazing longgg summer (June to October) and got to experience so much. I interned at our amazing church, served as a camp counselor for 6th grade girls, rejoined the choir, bought a car, and started babysitting full-time. He orchestrated every bit of it. Right down to THE DAY!
• I started school at Cincinnati State in mid-November studying Sign Language Interpreting, and I absolutely love it. Even how my schedule and classes worked out were by His hand.

My verse for 2010: 1 Thess 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for THIS is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
If you're the type that's searching for His will, but you think God isn't revealing it to you, read this verse again. Those 3 things are what He wants from you. Be joyful, pray, and give thanks ALWAYS and He'll lead you through the way :)

Looking back I can't believe how rewarding it's been to obey the Lord. I would say being in His will is the best feeling in life. He's taught me the meaning of contentment, forgiveness, patience, commitment, faithfulness, obedience, and trust. I'm not saying I've mastered these; I know I never will, but He has let me become more familiar with them and I pray I continue to learn them more intimately.

The lyrics that come to mind are from Jeremy Camp's song, Walk by Faith:

Would I believe you when you would say
Your hand will guide my every way
Will I receive the words You say
Every moment of every day

[chorus]
Well I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see
Well because this broken road
Prepares Your will for me

Help me to win my endless fears
You've been so faithful for all my years
With one breath You make me new
Your grace covers all I do

So bring it on, 2011! :) I can't wait to learn and experience new things, and fall deeper in love with my Savior ...at any cost!