Gospel, prayer, storms and Perseverence

Gospel: God the Father knew that we needed a Savior. So he sent us his son, Christ Jesus. Jesus, teacher, taught us, showed us and revealed to us the mystery, TRUTH was laid out for all to understand. Christ, innocent and pure, was drenched in our sin and paid our price. Beaten, bruised, broken, torn, pierced... for you and me. BUT the cross isn't the end.... HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE!!! Death could not defeat him and Satan couldn't hold him!!! Praise the Lord... Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice so we could have life!!!!

Prayer: Amazing things happen when we pray! I'm still amazed by this!! Prayer is way more powerful than we (at least i) give it. Prayer moves God to take action... isn't this amazing... that we can move on God's heart... if you don't believe it look in the old Testament, it's everywhere! From Esther, Abram, Noah to Jeremiah, Boaz, Isaiah, Micah.... and so many more... look in the New Testament.... Jesus prays for you!!! For you to be one with Him and that we, as the body of Christ would be one. How amazing!!!!

Storms: Physical storms, I love for their majesty that God displays, just watch as they form, the lightening sparks, thunder rolls and the rain pours!!! Hosea 6:1-3 is what I think of everytime!!! Spiritual storms, are hard, not fun and sometimes discouraging. "...But take heart for I have overcome the world"-John 16:33. While we may not see the purpose then, God is with us, and hindsight is 20/20. Praise the Lord in times of tribulation!!!! This I am learning, and I must say, it not only changes your attitude, but you are strengthened, just like the Psalmist David says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength..."

Perseverence:

1. A guy I work with was in a terrible accident, but God brought him through. Now he encourages everyone ALL the time! He is a joy to be around and such a huge blessing! Even though everyday he suffers in great pain due to his accident, he is always thankful to the Lord and tells everyone how much God loves them! He always puts a smile on everyone's face! I pray that one day I will be like that!

2. A man lost his wife in a car accident back around Christmas. Although I did not know him before, I did know his wife from a few encounters I had with her. She was loving and shone the light of Christ, her very presence brought God's love. He is not bitter, but thankful for his children that have lived, including his then unborn son. I was fundraising for a mission trip that I go on in May... he brought his kids and bought cupcakes for them... my brief encounter with him and his donation spoke more to me of God's love and provision and peace than anything else that happened that day. Thank you sir for seeking God, even when it seem impossible to continue on. Your love for your family and God have impacted me deeply!!!

I want to be have the prayer life of Esther, the faith of Noah, the heart like David and Paul's devotion and Peter's zeal.... all pieces that show different attributes of our risen Savior...

till next time....

I love you all more than you know!!!

A journey of FAITH... a whole new meaning

For this semester I've been raising funds to go to Ethiopia for a missions trip. Trip cost: ~2800. A few days ago I had no idea how any of this was going to come together. I knew that God would supply and that the hard work would pay off in the end. I've been praying fervently for this trip as well as that the finances would come in. So I gave the rest to God.

You see for the past few months (probably more like year) God has been teaching me what faith is and what it looks like, while this is an answer to prayer, I can't say it's what I expected by any means. To have full faith is not easy, it is not always fun, nor is it comfortable. A picture of faith that I can't seem to get out of my head is of Noah building an arc, on dry land, loading tons of animals in it two by two and never having seen rain before. But know that God does what he says he will do. Soon enough (hundreds of years later) the boat is loaded and down come the rains... forty whole day and nights... over a month (do you realize how much time that is for us?) And then the rains cease and a rainbow comes out, the promise, God will never destroy the earth by a flood again. Amazing how obedient and faithful Noah was. How hard it must have been to do what he did! But Noah had faith, knowing that God does what he says he will, so it's better to be obedient, even if you don't understand what is going to happen, even if you DON'T KNOW AT ALL.

This is what I've been learning so much of recently. You see, be faithful and obedient, trust God. He keeps his word. Even when we mess up, he's there to pick us back up again...

So on for the amazing news of provisions that God has been doing over the past 3 days...

1> Friday night, my family and I went to the car club cookout in town, where my Dad(stepdad) talked to a guy about donating money to the mission trip... so I talked to the guys and told them what was going on... I honestly expected no more than 100 dollars... well God blew me away using these guys... they've donated $500 for my missions trip! AMAZING!!!!

2> One of the guys there is also going to write a personal check for me on Tuesday... for an amount I do not know yet, but I know that God is providing!!!

3>Today at church we had a bake sale and an amazing group of men, women and children donated 675.25 for the trip. How amazing is that!!!

GOD is faithful... He does what he says he is going to do... trust him!!!

I'm learning to for sure!!!

Love always, simply love

Lys

What does love really mean?

JJ Heller sings this song... the chorus goes like this

Who will love me for me

Not for what I have done or for what I will become

Who will love me for me

Cause nobody has shown me

What love really means

What love really means

I really like this song because it reminds me of a place that I once was at, and a place that so many people are at now. It inspires me to run hard after God, and pray that people experience His love through me. Not by my own doing, but by Christ in me.

I wonder sometimes if there is someone who is just waiting to hear that they are loved unconditionally, without holding back and long to know this love. Then I'm reminded that this is something we all seek and all long for. Only Christ Jesus can give us this beautiful gift! Himself. But o how my heart breaks for those who don't know his love, and see why God uses us to show people his love.

It is by our love for one another that others will know Christ.

I pray to know the full understanding of that verse and to live it out everyday!

I've also been processing a lot about different things in my life and I can't help but sing and shout for what God is doing! For what he has done, but most of all for who he is!

God is mighty to save, Christ Jesus our savior, Holy Spirit dwells within us, completely undeserving, yet God lives with us. I am so very thankful for this. Though Christ is not walking this earth with us right now like he once did, the Holy Spirit is always with us. How comforting this is!!

Love always!

Lys

Hosanna in the Highest

I just got off the phone not too long ago with TMM GE and I have been ticketed for Ethiopia.

I can't help but sing his praises!

HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!

A little girl gets a dream come true... but it's not for me, it's for God's glory!!!!

Love always...

Lys

All is well, with my soul

When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot

Thou hast me to say

IT IS WELL
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

This song has been on my mind all day. I couldn't help but to sing it. As I was at work today, I kept singing and pondering different things in my life right now.

Over the year a lot has happened. I have had many emotional and spiritual lows, as well as numbness. Yet the Lord has kept me alive(spiritually) and my heart yearning for Him, even when I had no idea what to do in order to seek after Him. Through some rough situations, the Lord my God protected, provided and sustained me. I knew He was the one taking care of my every need, every time I looked at my bank account showed me and reminded me HE IS FAITHFUL, even when we are unfaithful(2 Timothy)

My heart breaks for children without families, or in broken families. It breaks for women who have been enslaved and sold for a price so someone can be temporarily satisfied physically. It breaks for those who don't know Jesus, and don't know His amazing love. I long for justice and yet I long for people to know Christ more. Love saved us from ourselves, when we could not save us(and we still can't.) God's love showed me his tangibility when we can't tangibly touch him. O how so many are stuck in darkness and do not know. But JESUS lives! His truth is living and active. He is patient, so that all may have a chance to come to know him(John). By faith we stand in confidence of this(Hebrews 11) and take each step even when we don't know the outcome.

Noah built the arc, out of holy fear of God. He probably never saw rain, but he knew God does what he promises. So came the flood and a new beginning(Hebrews 11)(Genesis). So why do so many times I want the answer before the step is taken? I think for me it is assuredness, fear that it won't work out. But God is God. And He is everything I need.

So last year a sweet friend offered to buy me a plane ticket to Rome for a missions trip, I had gotten a few friends and we were preparing to buy the tickets. And a sudden almost shout shook my body(not a literal shout, more like God getting my attention hard core) and I knew it wasn't time yet. So the trip to Rome has been postponed till further notice. My heart longed so bad to go and minister to the gypsies and hopefully be used by God to plant seeds in lives, for Him to transform them. But all my dreams came crashing down, while it was really hard, I came through. I knew God had a purpose and I had to trust Him.

Then most recently I knew, I just knew that Ethiopia was where I was supposed to go this May, especially since it was everything that my heart breaks for, so I started raising funds, but I am currently in limbo of whether I will be able to be ticketed, I won't know till tomorrow morning. I need $2,000 and we were supposed to meet the 50% deadline Wednesday to be ticketed. I hope that my rep is able to force my ticket through so I can finish raising the funds. But everything is up in the air right now. The longing is so strong and fierce to go. To go spread God's word. Share his love with people.

I know this is selfish but I feel like a little girl whose dreams will never come true, no matter what. I have so many doubts coming up and so many questions. Yet peace I have for I know, I know God is faithful, and his plan is greater than anything I could ever imagine. It's not about me, or about what I want. It is about God. It is about God who is to be praised and glorified always. He is worthy of all praise and honor. So I sing

The more I seek you

The more I find you

The more I find you

The more I love you

I want to sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in your hands

Lay back against you and breathe

Feel your heart beat

Your love is so deep

It's more than I can stand

I melt in your peace

It's overwhelming

I know God is faithful. And so it is Him I seek. To see Him glorified. He is worthy of praise. I trust him. He is all I need. And with Jesus I have all I need.

To God be the glory forever and ever, Amen.