Leaning on the Everlasting One

“A NEW HABIT

Every day each one of us faces challenges. It's hard not to face them when raising a family is it? Each child has their own particular needs, quirks, and character that needs training. Sometimes we face a trauma that is too big for us to handle, or sickness, or even tragedy in the family. What should we do?

I have found the only thing I can do is LOOK UP. Look up to God and put my trust in Him. Sometimes, I may physically look up, but it is more a raising of the inward eyes to our faithful, limitless, and unchangeable God. Absolutely nothing takes Him by surprise. He can handle anything. He is bigger than the mountain that looms in front of us.

When you look at your circumstances, you crumble. When you brood over your problem it only becomes worse. When you try to fix it in your own strength you usually make a mess of it.

Get into the habit of looking up, dear mother. CONSTANTLY RAISE YOUR INWARD EYES to your God. As you do this in the little things you face each day, you will be in the habit when you face bigger mountains. Instead of going into stress and despair, you will have learned the secret of knowing God's calm in the midst of the storm and experiencing His rest in the midst of trauma. “

–Posted by Nancy Campbell on the Above Rubies Facebook page

  I found this article to ring very true and to be a great encouragement.  We are called to believe in, think positively of, and walk in The Lord.  Our thoughts are key. Do your thoughts cling to, LOOK UP to, and truly trust in the Everlasting One?  Do you SPEAK words of truth, positiveness, and ultimately The Word over yourself?  Do you strive to BELIEVE more; to place your TRUST in the Maker with your deepest thoughts?
Anywho, some of the things Mrs. Campbell mentions in here are things I've been being challenged by/ learning  lately. I could really relate to this post, and I hope you can also.

Fearfully and Wonderfully and Beautifully Made Photography.

As many of you know, I have been trying my hand at the business of Photography.
As of recently, I am 'Official'. Well, sorta. My photography now has a name. And a blog with the same name. If you're interested Here is the link to my Photography Blog: fwbphotography.blogspot.com

I won't forget.

I’m getting older.

            Another year.

This year, I want to be a better remember-er.

            Those of you reading this may or may not know me personally, regardless, I’ve changed.  And not merely my looks, etc. No, I mean CHRIST! You see, over the past four years I’ve been learning. And learning. And guess what? I’m still learning.  Learning to live to, in, and through my Lord.  Learning to believe, to love, to serve…Well, I think my case is presented.  God has truly, to the deepest sense, been teaching me so much the past four years.  He has been teaching me pretty major things; things I still have lots of working/learning on. 

            So, I’ve compiled a sort of ‘Remember’ list of lessons from these past four years.  A Remember List in which I put some (not all, there are to many for me to count; that’s why I need a savior, btw.) of key things I believe that I have been, and quite frankly, still am learning, from my God, The Almighty.

Without further ado, here it is folks:

I won’t forget

-God delights in me. Now, I knew this from a young age. But I never really allowed it to hit home, well not till recently. And guess what?  When you begin to believe and embrace that ‘He has rescued you because he delights in you..’(psalm 18:19), it changes things.

-What you focus on is where you’ll end up. Please take this into consideration, for the sake of your soul.

-It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.

-I am treasured. Emotionally and mentally I’ve always been the sensitive type. And not in a good way.                                                                                                                                                   Well, I must back up a bit.  These past four years have been a lot for me. And some of the days extremely challenging and trying. And I’ve had more than plenty things said, not said, implied towards, and have been treated in ways that I would allow to make me feel much, much less than treasured.  Being exaggerative, I allowed the devil to use it. Let me just say, he did a good job.  I felt unloved, worthless, and so many more things.  I became them; I was not pleasant; I did not love; I was a total wreck by the time I’d go to bed each night.  But guess what?  The pain and hurt isn’t the end.  There’s more to your story and mine that’s too bright to ignore.  God, all along, had treasured and loved me.  He knew it all, he’d heard all my negative ramblings, but He still chose me! Not only that, but He (in His word) claims, celebrates, and accepts me as HIS! My Redeemer treasures me. Dearly. This brings me to another point…

-I am found in Christ.  Not in the approval of people.  Not in anything. In CHRIST! In Him , I have peace that surpasses all understanding, I have true hope, I have an everlasting rock, I have my dearest companion, I am a bride, I have true satisfaction, I have forgiveness, In Him I have undeniable truth, I have eternal joy, I have abundant and everlasting life, In Him I find my strength, In Him is my EVERYTHING!

-Christ came to break my chains apart.

-I exist to know, make known and glorify The Maker. That’ll preach.

-It is only my duty to go hard for my Lord.  Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Luke 17:10: “…So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty."  Romans 16:19: “…Be excellent at what is good, be innocent of evil.”

-Family is where it’s at! Both literally and in Christ!

-I have some ridiculously amazing people in my life. Seriously, The Lord made them. That’s pretty awe-inspiring. Love them well.  Which brings me to another point…

-Love well.  Be overflowing with the Agape of God! Have a heart that Loves, in 1 Corinthians way. Love is not easy, actually it is the exact opposite of what my culture makes it look like.

Some of the Biblical principles on Love:

*Love is selfless

*To love well is to serve Christ well

*Love is hard

*Love all

*God is Love. When we reflect our Creator’s sincere love, we do what we were made to do.

-Embrace the Lord and His word. When you declare over yourself the Lord’s word, it changes you. Supernaturally.  When you read, dig deep and put it into practice, Christ in you shines through. Though, you MUST be consistent.

-Speak positive things over your Life. Cling to the life-gving, positive words of The Lord. It’s essential to a healthy mindset/perspective.

-Press on to what lies ahead. Philippians 3 MSG Version; Paul says pretty dang well. Hebrews 12:2-3, James 1, Hebrews 10-11, Colossians 3:1-17.

-It’s not about me. To an extent, it is. It is in that, My Savior loves me more than I comprehend, but I must maintain an outlook of “Him and Them”!  I am called to serve God, then others, I am third.  It’s not about me. It’s about Him and Them.

-Live in a manner that pleases The Most High.

-Be a light. Be determined to be the change you want to see.  Speak Positively. Spread the change that Christ brings.

-My cup runneth over. In all manners, God has deeply and richly blessed me. So undeserved. So grateful

-I’m learning that I’m still learning.

-ABOVE ALL SEEK THE LORD.

-God doesn’t fit into my plan, I fit into His.

So, I don’t have it all together. But I’m learning.

Well folks, I’ve decided I won’t forget.  The Lord has done great things for me. Through Him, In Him, and to Him, I’ll remember. 

And I'm curious...This year, how do you intend to Remember/Learn from what you've learn't and are learning? I'd love to talk with you!

P.S. So very sorry for all spelling and grammar errors!! Because of the way I typed this, I am currently unable to correct them.

Faith in Christ

Jesus was entering the city of Capernaum, where much of his ministry took place, when a Centurion’s messenger approached.  But the Centurion was not just your ordinary Centurion, this one was truly inspiring.  He had faith that Jesus was the healer without even it being done before his eyes!   You seem when the faith-filled Centurion heard Jesus was coming, he sent his messenger with a message pleading for his servant’s health.  The Servant had a sickness and was not doing very well. The Centurion, in his message, explained that he was unworthy to have Jesus under his own roof, much less to see him, but he was a man of noteworthy authority in the area. He was a man of power, yet he believed Jesus could heal his servant without even coming into his home because he, The Centurion, was unworthy!  This man was also realizing, though, that because of his strong faith in Christ he had power to DO things!  This is a quality many Christians lack today.  His faith was so radiant and true that Jesus promptly healed the servant, who was not even on the scene! Jesus marveled out-loud, he had not seen faith like this special Centurion’s in all the land!  Jesus also proclaimed that this man’s extraordinary faith had made his servant healed.  What a great God!  Jesus went on to say that this Centurion, because of his belief in the power of God, would have a place amongst Abraham and Jacob’s table in heaven. When our faith is true, as the man of authorities was, God moves!

          One day Jesus had been giving another one of his radical sermons. When He was finished, he had his disciples get into a boat and go on ahead, instead of waiting for Jesus.  Jesus had his disciples go, because he was dismissing the crowd and afterwards he was going off to pray with no distractions. But maybe there’s more of a reason as to why he had them go on ahead.  So the disciples left, just as their master had told them to.  Long after they’d been going, a fierce storm arose, batting at the disciples’ ride. They were naturally, though not rightly, terrified.  This storm would surely destroy them and the boat. No wonder they were fearful!  But Jesus saw this opportunity as a way to test them.  Soon after the storm began, the disciples looked and saw Jesus walking towards their boat.  Their rabbi was walking on water!  How astounding! So Peter, out of the faith that had risen in him because of Jesus, stepped out and walked water, now knowing this wasn’t some kind of a trick.  But soon, Peter began to doubt again and began sinking.  His faith is what had kept him walking towards Jesus.  Jesus lifted Peter and explained this to Him. He also took the opportunity to rebuke Peter for his little faith, sharpen him, and, I believe, to show that this Jesus was truly the Son of God.  People worshipped and were in awe of what God had done. So you see, our faith and perspective are vital to living this life of following Christ.

          Jesus was once again surrounded by a large crowd of people, which we see several times in the detailed Gospels. One of the women in the crowd, a poor woman who was generally looked down upon, had been suffering terribly for 12 years.  Imagine, twelve years of horrid sickness!  She’d become poor trying to cure her hemorrhage; this woman been living in a state of utter desperation.  She’d heard much about this Jesus, and came up to Him and touched his garment. This faith-filled woman had done it, because she believed simply touching the garments of Him would heal her.  But Jesus immediately perceived it, because He is God.  So He asked who had touched Him.  His disciples thought this was a foolish thing to ask, since he was probably bumped by a passer-byer, due to the many people.  But Jesus knew.  The woman, sobbing fell at Jesus’s feet saying it was her and explained her miserable condition.  This was a woman who believed and had faith in Jesus. And this, said the Lord, is why she was healed. He then told her that and also that she could go in peace and be well again! Once again, the power of strong faith, In Christ, had saved the day!

BBC

The Bedroom Bible College Manual.  That's what BBC stands for.


   Last year this intriguing material was one of my daily assignments in school.  WOAH, is it amazing!
When I first picked it up I was not to thrilled about it, but BBC has proven itself a gem!

It is a Bible Study book/instruction written/put together by Gregg Johnson. BBC is one of those things that you really have to do before you begin to grasp it. So, I'd highly recommend getting this book.

*A following is one of the Verse Studies I did recently:

Reference: John 8:34-36
..."I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (NIV84)

Key Words: Truth - Jesus speaks truth because, He is TRUTH! When we have him, we have someone much, much more than trustworthy.
Slave - Anyone who abides by His prison cell of sin or legalism (both are sins) is, in a big way, a slave longing for true freedom.
Son - Through Jesus we can receive sonship, and BELONG to freedom and life forever. Through Jesus, the Son, we are made Children of the Creator.
Freedom - Brings life to our souls. Takes away the bonds/chains of sin.  In this sense, it lives a life unto the Lord, through Christ.

Promises:  Through Christ, we are FREE! If Jesus sets us free, we are free from the chains indeed.

Principles: Jesus came to break the chains apart. To rescue us from our Prison of Sin, and pay the price we could not. We are slaves to sin by human nature, but by Him who lives in me, I am a Child and Follower of The Most High.

What does this verse mean to me: I am free! Jesus came so I can take off this sin and follow Him.  I have the  truth! Truth that brings life. Real life.


*Note: This was just a Verse Study. The book also includes many more studies such as Word Studies, Chapter Studies, etc.
another thing to note, some of these things are things that I felt the Lord showing/saying to me as I was doing this, you may view this study or scripture with an entirely different view, and that is okay.

The Weight of Glory

The post title is also the title of a well-known book, The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis.  I have just finished reading this incredible book.  And while I can not say I agree with everything Mr. Lewis writes in it, I can say it is by far one the best books I've yet to read; so thought-provoking!

So, while this is an insufficient recommendation, I'd highly recommend you read it.

Here are few of my favorite quotes from The Weight of Glory:
"...it is not so much our time and so much our attention that God demands; it is not even all our time and all our attention; it is ourselves."

"Though the world is slow to forgive, it is quick to forget."

"As St. Paul writes, to have died for valuable men would have been not divine but merely heroic; but God died for sinners.  He loved us not because we were lovable, but because He is Love."

"A rejection, or in Scripture's strong language, a crucifixion of the natural self is the passport to everlasting life. Nothing that has not died will be resurrected."

"Neither the individual or the community as popular thought understands them can inherit eternal life, neither the natural self, nor the collective mass, but a new creature."

1 Corinthians 13

So, last week in my wonderful writing book for school, one of my lessons was basically the following:

1.) I had to take notes off of the Living Translation's version of 1 Corinthians 13.

2.) I had to use that note outline to write a rough draft of 1 Corinthians 13.

3.) There are other little details I also had to do, but long story short the final draft's result was the following:


    While I might speak all the languages one earth, if I don't have love, I only make noise. Not only do I only just make noise, I make useless, maybe even detrimental noise. I could have the gift of prophecy, which would let me foretell the future.  If I do not, however, have enduring and everlasting love, what good is it? It's nothing, thus making me a mere human.  Standing on the mountain tops, I might even command and move them with my faith.  Generously, I could donate my possessions to the poor or be painfully burned at the stake for the sake of the gospel.  Without love, though I may speak beautifully in any language or have all the fame I could want, I have nothing.

  The following, though, is the nature of real love: love is extraordinarily patient and kind; it is never selfish. Love is not prideful or rude, nor does it demand its own way, though cheerfully lays down it's selfish desires. Love does not show-off.  Neither is it irritable.  Love is not steaming with revenge, but quite differently, love lets things go and is graciously forgiving.  Love hardly notices and simply shakes it off when it is wronged. Therefore, it does not bear the heavy burden of a grudge.  An additional thing love does not do is; it doesn't rejoice with or in evil, because love always rejoices with and in truth.  Thus, love is righteous.  Loving others also consist of being fiercely loyal, thinking positively of others, and defending their cause with a bold firmness.  To truly possess the nature of love we must die to ourselves, by making us less and the Lord greater in our lives.

   All dear gifts and special powers from the Lord will someday end, but not love.  This one thing, as astounding as it may be, is truly everlasting.  Eventually, knowledge and things we consider of high value will disappear.  They will simply be gone.  As humans, we know so little, even with our special blessings.  Even the most gifted of God's Children's preaching is actually extremely poor!  But one day, God will make His children gloriously and beautifully perfect and whole.  When this occurs the need for all things will come to an abrupt end.  Thus, we who claim to know Christ, must love like Christ; for He is The Everlasting.

   An analogy could be the following:  When I was a child, I, naturally, lived and thought as such.  When I became a man, I, naturally, behaved and thought as such.  Similarly, we now know only a little about The Creator.  Though the view is poor now, someday we'll see all His greatness.  Not only will we see it, as Children of His, we will see our Father face to face!  So, though things are now hazy, one day it will be clearer than we ever imagined.  We will see His completeness just as clearly as the Lord sees our hearts at this moment!  Faith, hope, and love; these are the three divine things that remain.  Though we are not take lightly the fact that the greatest and most essential is love.  This is only a faint and incomplete picture of Christ's love; as imitators of Him we must love the same!


I have been thoroughly challenged and so much more through this passage over the years. This particular lesson in writing was a true challenge and eye-opener to me; God can bless us even through writing! How amazing!
 I am only learning myself, thus what I wrote off of 1 Corinthians 13 is not perfect. Though I do hope you can learn from it, also.
I hope this will inspire you to dig deeper into The word and listen to what The Father has to say to you through it!

The following is the Amplified version of this passage, and this particular version's definitions in 1 Corinthians 13 has been, for several days, a tremendous inspiration and so much more to me. I hope it's vivid descriptions will be a help to people reading this!

1IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths andmysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody). 3Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing. 4Love endures long andis patient and kind; love never is envious norboils over with jealousy, is not boastful orvainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) anddoes not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights orits own way,forit is not self-seeking; it is not touchy orfretful orresentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].6It does not rejoice at injustice andunrighteousness, but rejoices when right andtruth prevail. 7Love bears up under anything andeverything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled andpass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed andcease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. 9For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). 10But when the complete andperfect (total) comes, the incomplete andimperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded). 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways andhave put them aside. 12For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality andface to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know andunderstand fully andclearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully andclearly known andunderstood [by God]. 13And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.-1 Corinthians 13 AMP 

"He loved us not because we were lovable, but because He is Love."-C.S. Lewis