Reflections are About Today

"As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart."-Proverbs 27:19

This weekend marks an entire year since I met some of the most amazing people the Lord could have ever possibly blessed me with, started a new chapter of my life, delved deeper into my relationship with Jesus, and made a complete fool out of myself at Cru Fall Retreat. The funny thing about time is that it continues to go on. So at this point in time as I sit here at this years Fall Retreat I can't help reflect and apply to today. 

Reflection is so much less about yesterday as it is about tomorrow and the days in the Lord to come. Last year at this time I was hoping for those friends I had always hoped for, the type of friends I could share my faith with entirely and relate on a whole different level. Little did I know the Lord had so much in store for me. The speaker that weekend was none other than Tyler Jones. I mention this because what Tyler said resonated so much with me then and carried into my life today; at this very moment in this new season of my life. Tyler spoke on Freedom; and not in the sense that we are free in the United states to do such and such, but what it is really like to be FREE in the Lord. In Galatians 5:16 it says, "But I say walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." To me this speaks so much in that we have the amazing honor to walk in the spirit and that we are free of the works of the world. God is so amazing that he provides us with such a freedom that cannot be earned. 

In everything we have ever done the Lord has been there and so of course he is there today, right now. We will never be alone to reflect on a lonely life. Not a single moment should we spend time think about what could have been but what is because of what was. We are here in this very moment for a purpose and what a purpose that is. So what work is the Lord doing right now? It is so beautifully expressed in Ephesians 2:22, "In him you are also being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." So as we are being built we are building the kingdom in turn. Currently I am letting the Lord live in me and through me and seeing what he has in store for me as I do his will. 

Like Tyler Jones said at that Fall Retreat Just a year ago; we either allow the Spirit to change us or we hinder him from doing so...but regardless we cannot lose our Salvation because by the grace of God we are FREE. So wherever we stand at any given time we can reflect on certain points in our lives that made great impacts or were a turning point and apply them to today to live in the freedom that is God's grace. God never stops pursuing us, not for a single moment did he ever and he will never. "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you."- Psalm 22:27 Wow. God is imminently transcendent and transcendentally imminent. Isn't it so true that life is inconvenient and confusingly unexpected? Of  course it is but as we reflect upon yesterday we see today's purpose and that in itself is something so beautiful. 

"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."- 2 Timothy 2:2 

An Immense Love for Love

Love is Not Just a Four Letter Word...

I have always had a such a crazy love for love. From a young age I would watch romantic comedies and dramas, read books with an underlying love story, and just take notes. Obviously I soon realized that real and true love wasn't just like the movies or the books, but it was better. But with that knowledge that it is better, it is also more real and raw than one might realize. True love isn't forced, it is as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13; "patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude or self-seeking, not easily angered, doesn't delight in evil but instead rejoices in truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love NEVER FAILS." 

Real and true love is unforced like waves because authentic love comes right from the Lord. We are blessed with the ability to love others the way the Lord loves us. So when I was younger I made the decision that I would hold out and wait for that love that love that mirrors Christ's love for his bride. There is no love that can match the Lord's love for us. When you think about that and the love you feel for others here on earth it is something to know that the love you feel stems from the love the Lord has for you. That crazy love is everything. 

Even as I read novels today and watch movies, I am so in love with the loves stories that I see. To be in love is something that every woman, man, child, everyone wants to experience. True love on earth is a blessing from the Lord. Proverbs 19:22 says it best, "What a man truly desires is unfailing love." The truth is that unfailing love is something that comes from our Heavenly Father. The love we experience and indulge in on earth is just a glimpse into how much the Lord loves each one of us. When I think about it I can't imagine a greater gift than that. 

I am still currently waiting on that true love that is shared with a significant other. As I am only a freshman in college that isn't too crazy. When I think about that love that the Lord hand crafted between man and woman I get butterflies and a warm feeling. Because when I think about it, the longer you wait in the Lord's timing for that love the sweeter it is when you have it, and the less likely you are to ever think about letting it go. I know and believe that when the Lord's timing is right that love will be awakened. So fret not because your love story has been written by the one who created love. How amazing is that? 

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else...may he strengthen your hearts that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones." Whenever I read those verses, 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, I can't help but smile to think that our love will increase and overflow for our true love because in the Lord love is abundant. Being that love is my favorite thing, that simple fact that love is abundant, is just beyond anything I could ever imagine. 

Watching true love unravel before your eyes in movie form, book form, or even in real life with people you know and care for is so amazing to me. It warms my heart and makes me smile to see love so uninhabited and so real. It is only natural to want a love like that. So true love is different than the books and movies, so what? The love that is bestowed upon us from the Lord is crazy. His crazy love for us knows NO BOUNDS. "Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:5) 

So the next time you see a movie, read about love, experience love yourself; know that, that love comes from the one who loves you more than you could ever begin to imagine. True love doesn't wait, you already have it in the Lord. The truth is, you have no idea who you are meant to share that intimate love with here on earth. The moment you know who you are going to spend the rest of your days on earth with, is when you can't imagine sharing your love and life for the Lord with anyone else. Now I don't know about you but that sounds like a love worth waiting for. 

That four letter word, Love. L-O-V-E. Isn't just a word. It is so much more. 

I'm Not Afraid To Say That I Am Waiting

In regards to my last blogpost "The Lord Knows Who Your Soul Loves" I put a song at the end called "Hide Your Love Away" by Anthem Lights. In today's culture it is seen as such a cliché or a taboo to save yourself for the one that the Lord has made for you.

But as a Strong Christian Woman who has never been in a relationship and has received so many questions regarding that choice to wait until the love is wakened for a christian gentleman. I love that this song speaks volumes to the regard that waiting for your Prince or Princess is God's plan. Because the truth is the Lord has something so magnificent in store for your life. He knows that someone who is going to be your other half on this earth. That someone who through your love for Jesus you will love each other so wholly.

So if you listened to the song from the last post I highly encourage you to watch this short video on the reasoning behind the song. If you are waiting that is amazing. Don't be afraid to say that you are because in the end the Lord will bless you well and you will be more than happy that you did.

New Beginnings Make New Endings

"No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." 

There are so many things that we start and finish. But in that ending there sprouts a new beginning and ending for something else. We don't start over; but we begin again right where we are, making things better in our lives. 

One of my very close friends just recently experienced the end to a relationship. For her this ending is just a moment. She doesn't know what the future holds for her and her guy. In this time she has asked herself; "is he the one?" "was this supposed to happen?" "Why did this happen?" "Why does it hurt so much?" "What is God's plan for me?" We don't know what tomorrow holds for us. Only God knows our beginnings, endings, and everything in between. 

Recently I realized that I don't have everything together and I realized that I am not ok with that. I broke down and I let the Lord know that I need Him. But we aren't supposed to have everything figured out and together. If we did everything would be in it's place and we need the Lord for that. He is in control. He makes the decisions and we trust in Him through all of our ups and downs. 

Through everything we must daily remember to ask the Lord for help, that we may grow deeper in love with Him each day. 1 John 1 says that "From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in--we heard it with our own ears,  saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands." All of our beginnings are mixed in with our ends and with God everything is one long beginning. 

So no matter where we start, what our beginning, the Lord is there. We live through him. And through him our whole life is one long beginning that comes from the end of the worldly things that we don't belong to. 

All of the aspects of our lives, everything that we do has a beginning and an ending, from those beginnings there are endings. Endings bring new beginnings and the Lord is present through all of it. 

The Lord's wisdom is ever present. It is made clear in Proverbs that"For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul." God doesn't leave us or forsake us and He gives us the wisdom to know he is King and that He is in ultimate control. 

It is ok to fear what is going to come from an ending. The Lord has every second of our lives planned out. He has planned for every ending to bring a new beginning and in Him we find our strength and solace. 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

The Lord is and will always be present through our beginning, middle, end and no matter what we may be going through or have been through we can always look to him and come home to the house of the Lord. 

Like the story of the prodigal son; whatever we may choose to do in our new beginning, it will never be too late to come home. 

Struggles are moments; little blips in the big story of our lives in Jesus Christ. The ending of this life, we choose to put an end to our attachment to all things worldly that take our focus off of him, figuratively of course, and give everything to Him. Every single moment is planned out by him. So no matter where we are or where we are going there is a plan, and we can Always go home. 

Our home is in The Lord. 

The end in fact is a new beginning. So put your faith and trust in the Lord and know there is a purpose for every moment.