Hope Wins

It's been too long! Here's an update:

The pictures give the update on my world, the Scripture gives the conditions of my heart.

 

"When you see a person/situation as hopeless, you've slammed the door in the face of God."

 -Charles Allen.

 

Cleveland, OK has a chunk of my heart.
Crazy Love 



College is fun.
And I have a new internship!



Lamentations 3:

 ^19-21I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
   the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
   the feeling of hitting the bottom.But there's one other thing I remember,
   and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

 ^22-24God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
   his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
   How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
   He's all I've got left.

 

 ^25-27God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
   to the woman who diligently seeks.
It's a good thing to quietly hope,
   quietly hope for help from God.
It's a good thing when you're young
   to stick it out through the hard times.

 



 ^28-30When life is heavy and hard to take,
   go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
   Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
   The "worst" is never the worst.  



 ^31-33Why? Because the Master won't ever
   walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
   His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
   in throwing roadblocks in the way.



 ^49-51"The tears stream from my eyes,
   an artesian well of tears,
Until you, God, look down from on high, 



   look and see my tears.
When I see what's happened to the young women in the city,
   the pain breaks my heart.

^55-57"I called out your name, O God,
   called from the bottom of the pit.
You listened when I called out, 'Don't shut your ears!
   Get me out of here! Save me!'
You came close when I called out.
   You said, 'It's going to be all right.'

 ^58-60"You took my side, Master; 
   you brought me back alive!"

-------



 Proud to be on the

sidelines of all they're boldly doing.

 

Friendships are priceless.


-Redeemed, JAS.
P.S. 93 days and counting. Literally. :)

Hammer in one hand, a weapon in the other.

Remember the Lord, and get back to work.

Hope wins.

The Past 72 Hours

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney

Walt Disney, what a cool guy. Disney is someone (and now something) that's changed lives all around us. They've brought joy, laughter, lessons, and just a feeling of togetherness for years. A joke at my work is that Christmas at Disney World has to equal heaven on Earth, because it's such a place of excitement and nothing's better than Christmas! I like his quote because I feel like God tells Himself something along those lines every day.

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -God

The past 72 hours might just be the most JAM PACKED GOD weekend I've been a witness to in a long time. What's even better is that a simple blog will never do it justice to what's truly gone on, and what's truly been seen. So here's my nutshell version:

First: A beautiful baby girl named Taten Quinn was added to the family Thursday night. SO happy for my cousin, Michael and his wife! The miracle of birth is truly something impossible that God makes possible. How a little tiny one can have the eyes of my cousin, and the nose of her mother. It's only God who could create such a well-thought out, masterpiece. What a beautiful girl she is. With love, comes new life. That's impossibly cool.

Next, one of my close friends got married on Friday! I've been lucky enough to stand on the same team as Austin for almost 10 years now (ew, dang!)  and I'll never forget the first conversation we had about his then-girlfriend Tiffanie. People always say "when you know you know" and boy did he know. What's cool is they each have a life centered around Christ. They were seeking Christ, and that led them to each other. All weddings are beautiful, and theirs was no exception. I've witnessed several friends get married this summer. What a blessing they've each been in my life. I finished that night with dinner with one of my oldest friends. SO fun. With passions, comes new life. That, is impossibly cool.

Saturday I got to experience a reuniting of new friends! There's nothing more refreshing than fellowship with long-distance friends. Maranda and Ashley, I don't even know if you'll read this: But. I'm speechless. You guys light up my soul. I've never felt so loved by people who've SEEN me less than a week's time. God works in mysterious ways, and He wastes nothing. I'm thankful for our relationships and the journey I've been on to come to know the great people of their town. Forever grateful. Out of obedience, comes new life. And that, is impossibly cool.



Brother 1



I ended my week where I'm planted. My church family revives me, and MY family, rejuvenates me. Got my double (triple!) dose of church this weekend, then ended my Sunday with my whole family. That's what I love about Sundays. I love my parents. I love my brothers. I love my family. Out of devotion, comes new life. And that's (you guessed it!) impossibly cool!



Brother 2



Long blog short: God is good. He was busy making plans for this weekend long before I knew Him. And that's what is so impossibly cool. Only God. All for His glory. ALL of this weekend, for Him.

Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Luke 18:27

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

Can't help but agree!

Redeemed, JAS. <3 

We are chosen!

 "Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field."

Matthew 9:35-38

Growing up in church, these are pretty common verses. It wasn't until recently that I was re-reading them, and realized something I hadn't seen the first time I'd read them.

Jesus was surrounded by the sick, the poor, and the needy. The first thing He DID was look to the disciples. And He asked them to pray.

I had to stop for a minute and think about how I pray. Are my prayers problem-centered, or promise-centered? Am I selfish in nature, or compassionate for the needs of those around me? How I pray reflects how much I BELIEVE about God. I could do a lot better in this area, and as a nation, I think we all could. I hope you pause to ask yourself the same things I did.

Back to the verses above:

What's even more surprising than Jesus asking the disciples to pray, is what Jesus told them to pray FOR. You'd expect Him to see the multitudes and tell the disciples to pray for them, but instead he told the disciples to pray for more workers, for the church. He didn't say to pray for the lost, but for the church.  It's as if His concern wasn't that the lost wouldn't come to Him, He knew they would. He was concerned that the "workers" (the church) wouldn't go to the lost.  how humbling.

Here's where I stop and ask myself: How well of a "job" are we doing as a church? As a "body" of believers? Most people say the reason they don't believe in God is because of others' behaviors who say they do. What have you done to help out God's "team?" What more could we be doing? I've had a busy summer of doing God's work, and I'm SO glad to be chosen for that. God has blessed me in my obedience, but I continue to see areas I can grow in.

Sometimes I wonder if other professed "believers" ever feel that way. Are they striving to try harder, to live differently, to proclaim boldly, to give generously. If you're claiming to be part of this team, the chosen generation, then BE. Be apart of it. Or don't. There is no in between. Jesus didn't just kind of die for you, so we could just sort of live for Him. He died. He rose. He lives. There is no gray area. Jesus asked the disciples to pray for the church, not those in need. How scary.

"For you are a chosen people.

You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession.

 As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9 (NLT)

We were chosen for this. :D

Redeemed, JAS. <3

where does my strength come from?

Man, what a whirlwind of a month I've been handed. What do I have to show for such a busy month?

I've seen the lives of others changed around me, I've seen sinners come to know their Maker, I've seen others recommit themselves to their original promises to God, I've seen children, younger than you and I, learn to lean on God's grace for their lives. I've raised a good amount for Africa. :) I've trusted, I've grown. I've seen BIG THINGS. And boy, have I said big things. :)

I'm so thankful for a God who comes through when I really need Him to. And in HUGE ways.

Back to tonight's topic! My strength?

My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
Tenacity: persistence. perseverance. grasping tightly. holding firmly.
The word tenacity literally means "the act of holding onto..." It's an act, an action. To be persistent in this means to ACT on your convictions, your beliefs, to be a little WEIRD, a little radical. to GO, to be silent, whatever it may look like, it's an action.

Psalm 121

" ¹ I look up to the mountains—
     where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the Lord,
      who made heaven and earth!

 ³ He will not let you stumble;
      the one who watches over you will not slumber.
 ⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
      never slumbers or sleeps.

 ⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
      The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
 ⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
      nor the moon at night.

 ⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
      and watches over your life. ⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
      both now and forever."



My help comes from the Lord. I could never have done what I did this month if it wasn't for His help. He's kept me from harm, and He watches over every decision I make. That's where my strength comes from. Knowing fully well that when I wake, the God of the universe is already there, with His huge plans.

I've held on, and learned that God is exactly who He says He is.
Be careful when you ask God to do big things, He'll knock you off your feet. :)

So grateful. My cup is overflowing.

Redeemed, JAS. <3

While there's still time....

"If God's love is for anybody, anywhere, it's for everybody....everywhere."


God is so cool, can I just say that? Super Summer went above my expectations. It's funny how when you even make expectations, God kinda throws them out the window and laughs and says something like, "Yeah right...wait til you see this!" I always imagine Him adding something like, "Boom Roasted" at the tip of those thoughts, too. Mmm!


Super Summer 2k11!



First, I love my girls. I miss them all. Wish we could all meet up like once a month! If any of them read this, you're beautiful, and you're God's. What else do you need to know from me??

We had a worship band from Ireland called BlueTree, (look them up, love them) they wrote the song God of This City that's become so popular. We got to hear the story behind the song, making the song even more of a motivator to see those "greater things" get done!
Craig Tackett was our speaker. He knocked me to the ground with his enthusiasm for God and for his love of Scripture. What a fun guy.

Just wanted to share my devotional this morning:
Since Eden, we've all sought independence from God's control in our lives, we convince ourselves that we're somehow in control of our destinies. But the Lord says one day He will come...and that's exactly what the prophet Joel was trying to tell Judah. Judah was a nation that had become so complacent, so comfortable. They were prosperous and powerful, taking their blessings for granted. (Sound familiar?) They had turned to self-centeredness, idolatry, and sin. Joel "boom roasted" Judah with words from God Himself:

¹² That is why the Lord says,
      “Turn to me now, while there is time.
   Give me your hearts.
      Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
 ¹³ Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
      but tear your hearts instead.”
   Return to the Lord your God,
      for he is merciful and compassionate,
   slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
      He is eager to relent and not punish.
 ¹⁴ Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve,
      sending you a blessing instead of this curse.
Joel 2:12-14

Key phrases that stick out to me are, "while there is still time" and "don't tear your clothing." Sounds silly to us now, but tearing your clothes was a sign of deep remorse back in the day, it happened all the time. But that's simply an outward act. Without inward repentance, or CHANGE, it'd be as if you ripped your shirt for nothing. Tearing your heart instead....sounds intense, but it's what God desires. And He is slooowwww to anger. Amen to that.

"While there is still time...." That one is pretty self-explanatory. Who knows, that blessing may be on its way as I write, but first comes repentance.

Don't wait, God takes no pleasure in fools who do so.

REDEEMED, JAS. :)

My own limitations

"...And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set a royal crown on her head and declared her queen..." Esther 2:17

DON'T LET LIMITATIONS LIMIT VISION.

Tonight I'm considering my own short-comings. I'm selfless to the point of a loss of self-worth, I talk WAY more than I listen, I don't take care of myself, I'm sarcastic to the point of insensitivity, indecisive, selfish, and the list could go on....
But also tonight, I'm considering the life of Queen Esther. So consider this:

God doesn't only use our gifts to fulfill our destiny, He'll use our limitations as well.

Yeah, even the things we're HORRIBLE at, or that we struggle with the most, God uses it all.
Esther has several "big" short-comings for back in her day. Sure, she didn't have to worry about social status, having an iPhone, updating her Facebook, being tan enough for summer, or texting people back in a timely fashion, but she had a few issues to face in her time as well. And her limitations, the things she had "going against her" so to speak, are what God used to help her fulfill for role as queen.
She was an orphan.
She was a minority.- a Jew living in Persia, BIG deal.
She was a single woman.

And God used all of those things, along with her beauty and brains to fulfill her destiny.

Sometimes what looks like a disaster in my life is part of a much bigger plan. But I'll never fulfill that destiny if i'm busy throwing my own pity party.
Esther could've regretted her role. She could've done like most of us do today and said, "If only it wasn't me" or she could have looked at other people's lives and said, "Man, it must be nice to be them..."

I think I need to realize that the unpleasant obstacles in my life are more often God-ordained opportunities in the making.

So, for anyone reading:
You might be in a situation right now where everything is going wrong, and you can't figure ANYTHING out. "Why me?" But God knows. Nothing in your life is accidental. The pleasures, and the pains are all to be used by God.

So, I'm thankful to belong to a God who not only uses the good in my life, but the bad as well.
All I gotta do is say, "I don't get it..." and trust that He does.

Pray for me and my family tonight.
Redeemed, JAS.

A photo recap...

"A good snapshot stops a memory from running away..."


I'll be summing up this past month with old photos I found. :)

I'm a girl of few words tonight.

Africa is on my mind.



I hung out with Melissa. FINALLY. P.S. I miss Rose...

I'm leaving for Super Summer in a week and I'm PUMPED.

My crazy brother moved in next door. Grrrreat. ;)

I have the world's wackest best friend ever. :)

My parent's first year anniversary is coming up. ;)
 I LOVE THEM.

UCO's #CentralEdge KILLED IT at AAF this year. :)

Had a few heart to hearts with good ole Baby Ray. :)



Sometimes good things fall apart. <3



His Grace is and always will be more than enough. <3

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand. I leave for Africa in less than 7 months. Mmmmmm.
Doing good, doing REAL good. :)


Redeemed, JAS.