This is my home

Tip-toe gently down the cool stone steps
Each footprint is a whisper...
Emerging from a silent wood,
the flowers begin a slow crescendo of color...
As the deep purple tones evolve into vibrant hues,
Then fade softly into a warm white that dissolves into the sparkling honey-colored sunlight...
This is my home

Peer fearlessly down a high cliff above an ocean city,
The inviting buildings nestled in the secluded cove...
The waves dance beneath you as you stand above the world,
Red flags triumph in the midnight air,
All is hushed but the ambient crash of the waves against blackened rocks.
A hidden moon echoes a thousand stars and amplifies the dim glow of the safe haven beneath...
This is my home

The air is drowned in the altitude of blue as you rest upon the white billows,
In a painting of clouds and kites you breathe in the song of the sky...
As the birds swoop and glide among translucent mountains,
Your eyes fill with tears, and you feel inspired and effervescent...
With outstretched arms, embrace it all.
No words can express this,
This is my home

Beneath ocean waves, sit in amongst the sand and stones,
Watch the light from a world above laugh as it waltzes across the rainbow colored coral...
Fish peek shyly from behind sponge beds and seaweed,
And the dark moving shape of a great blue whale shadows across the distance...
The calming waters sing a prayer of peace and harmony,
and all around the surroundings chorus in agreement... All is well here...
This is my home

In the shelter of embrace,
A strength that is not my own, holding me up...
Reassuring me with the comfort of their gentle touch.
I am not alone
The warmth of this moment will not fade with memory, it is with me always.
Because the one who holds me up has promised never to leave me or forsake me.
This is love.

THIS is my home.

Believing isn't seeing

Faith- it's like the wind, you can't see it, but you can feel it... Seeing is believing, but faith is believing in what you do not see. A picture is worth a thousand words, but faith has no need for proof, it goes beyond any sensation or feeling, it is a knowing without the need of confirmation.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." ~Proverbs 3:5 It's hard and confusing living a life that isn't all mapped out before you, there's unexpected turns at every corner, and it definitely doesn't always go according to our plans. Sometimes it goes completely opposite. We don't know the future, and it can be scary, like walking through the dark, without a light switch to turn on so that you can find your way exactly how you want it. But, we fail to recognize, that we don't need one, because if we let Him, we have Someone who will take our hand and guide us in the right directed. We aren't in control, so why do we pretend to be? Trust is the confident expectation of something, a hope, a belief, a faith. Although we don't have a life that always goes the way we plan, we do have a life that goes exactly in accordance to God's plan. And that plan is much greater than anything we could ever come up with. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." ~Romans 8:28 It may seem confusing at times, but only because we are only looking at a mere fragment, while God has the big picture. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." ~1 Corinthians 13:12 We don't need to have everything all figured out, because God already does. All we need is faith.

Drive my thought bubble into the waterfalls of His forgiveness

Drive my thought bubble into the waterfalls of His forgiveness
Current mood: blessed

Crawl inside my little thought bubble and imagine this: Your driving along in your little black car, and you stop at a red light. Being in a rather scary part of the city, you shiver uneasily and wait impatiently for the light to turn green. You hear shouts and almost jump out of your socks when you see a man beating another man near the street. The attacker -after horribly abusing the innocent man and stealing his wallet- leaves the innocent man and proceeds to make his escape. As he's crossing the street, a truck with failing breaks comes swerving directly towards him. To your utter astonishment and confusion, the innocent man comes bolting to push the attacker to safety while taking the other mans death. "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrate his own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."~Romans 5:6-8....! ok, so as you most obviously have guessed by now, this parable represents God's gift to us, the gift of Forgiveness-Salvation-Eternal Life. And the crazy part that just doesn't seem understandable is that it's not because of anything we've done to deserve this, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast." ~Ephesians 2:8-9... It's not because we're awesome, it's because HE is awesome, it's not because we loved Him, it's because HE loves us. It's a gift, a token of undying love and affection, something He gives freely to all who believe! So by now, being the intelligent person you are, you must have realized that the "attacker" guy, in the story, symbolizes us. And yes, of course I don't think you go around mugging people, or abusing them like that, but stay with me I promise I have a point ;) We were dead in our sins, in bondage to them, a slave to sin-yuck! But, because God has this amazing undying love for us, far and beyond anything our little minds can imagine, He sent His only Son, to be abused, mocked, and finally killed in a most heart-wrenching, painful manner. And all so that we, who were destined for that fate, could be set free from that bondage of sin, and live eternally with Him in paradise. We are submerged in the waterfalls of His forgiveness and grace. His love is rushing over us! vwowowowowowowwwwww so yeah, being raise a Christian my whole life, I've had those Bible stories told me so many times, and sometimes I does seem a little repetitive, and even taken for granted. But thinking about it, like really digging deep and thinking about it, it's so crazy amazing! Like seriously, mind blowing.. Thank you God, for loving me unconditionally, for sending Jesus to die in my place, for forgiving me and giving me a fresh start through the death of your Son. The death that was intended for me. I am so grateful. Help me to keep this in perspective, and to strive always to live whole-heartedly for you. Amen!

I am weak but He is strong

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." ~Matthew 11:28-30... Insanely busy, crazy, hectic to the extreme sort of day, and I don't know about you guys, but I can really snap under pressure and become all stressed and well, I'm ashamed to admit, but a grouch >:( ..... Later on I look at my behavior, and I'm like "wow, I'm ridiculous... why on earth did I get all keyed up over that?" anyways, it always ends up with me replaying my actions in my head later on and thinking how inadequate I am to be one of God's children. Then comes all the depressing and deceitful thoughts creeping in trying to confuse me "Why on earth would God want me?" "Why does He keep forgiving me?" "Why did He even die for me?"... The truth is, I can't understand His unfathomable love for me, but I'm forever grateful for His undying love and forgiveness. A line in the chorus of a favorite song of mine goes "Not because of who I am, but because of what you've done. Not because of what I've done, but because of who you are." God loves me with this undying passion, and He has this perfect plan for my life, but I don't always choose to look towards the big picture, I get all caught up and stressed about lots of little things, when in reality God has absolute control and I have no reason to be anxious. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," ~Jeremiah 29:11-14, compared to God, everything else seems so small..... "I am weak but He is strong" simple verses from a Sunday school song with such a profound meaning... God doesn't want us to carry all this emotional baggage around all the time. He wants to free us, wants to take that load for us. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." ~1 Peter 5:7... Makes me think of Pilgrims Progress, when Christian reaches the cross on the hill and his heavy burden he'd been laboring with the entire journey tumbles from his back... We are free, we are forgiven, and on top of all that we are loved with a love so unfathomable. Why on earth would we stress about any of this earthly stuff, why aren't we in constant bliss of the fact that God has this perfect amazing plan for our lives and wants to lift our burdens?

Love is not love,
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Oh, no! It’s an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests..and is never shaken.

Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No.

It is immortal as immaculate Truth,

'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth,

Drops from the stem of life--for it will grow,

In barren regions, where no waters flow,

Nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom.

Courage

Courage ~Superchick

verse 1
I told another lie today
And I got through this day
No one saw through my games
I know the right words to say
Like "I don't feel well," "I ate before I came"
Then someone tells me how good I look
And for a moment, for a moment I am happy
But when I'm alone, no one hears me cry
[chorus]
I need you to know
I'm not through the night
Some days I'm still fighting to walk towards the light
I need you to know
That we'll be OK
Together we can make it through another day
verse 2
I don't know the first time I felt unbeautiful
The day I chose not to eat
What I do know is how I've changed my life forever
I know I should know better
There are days when I'm OK
And for a moment, for a moment I find hope
But there are days when I'm not OK
And I need your help
So I'm letting go
[chorus]
bridge
You should know you're not on your own
These secrets are walls that keep us alone
I don't know when but I know now
Together we'll make it through somehow
(together we'll make it through somehow)
[chorus]

Ana,
I hate you. You say I am in control -but you are. You tell me I will be beautiful -but it's never enough. You tell me to be strong -but you make me weaker. You tell me I am not worth it -but God tells me I am. Why do I cling to you? Why can't I escape? Why do you always pull me back into your prison. You tell me you'll make me happy -but I've never been more depressed than when you are with me. My hate doesn't seem strong enough to break us apart. I feel like I need you, that without you I'm worthless -but with you I have potential. But then I come back to you, and I remember why I left. You are slowly killing me....and you don't care. I hate you. Why can't my hate be strong enough to rid myself of you. Perhaps it's because when I'm with you, my hate for myself is stronger. I can't fight this hate to hate alone. God's love is the only thing that can break these bonds that imprison me. With Him in control I am His beautiful daughter created in His own image, although I am weak He is strong. He tells me He loves me... He LOVES me. He tells me I am worth it, He sent His Son Jesus to die for ME, because He love me. He is the only true peace... He will never leave me, He will stay with me, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14 ...... With you Ana I am always lacking, always hungering, always discontent and selfish... With God "I shall not be in want" Psalm 23:1.... Why would I choose you Ana? What do you have to offer me? Misery? Deceit? You slither your way into my life, and I let you. God give me the strength to leave you once and for all. You were everything I wanted, and now that I have you, you are nothing I want. Leave me alone, God has a plan for my future, a beautiful amazing incredible plan... and you aren't a part of it.

God's precious daughter,

Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.