He Loves us!

I know it's been a while and I hope you'll forgive me, but I've been letting this one brew a bit and I think I'm finally ready to put it down on paper, eh, computer as the case may be.  A few months ago at Encounter(a worship service for young adults my church hosts) we sang this song:  "How He loves" - By David Crowder  I have posted the lyrics, go ahead and read them and then I wanna peel them apart a bit.

He is jealous for me 

Love's like a hurricane, 

I am a tree 

Bending beneath the weight of 

His wind and mercy 

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory 

and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great your affections are for me. 

Oh, how He loves us so 

Oh, how He loves us 

How He loves us so. 

(x2) 

Yeah, He loves us 

Oh, how He loves us 

Oh, how He loves us 

Oh, how He loves. 

(x2) 

We are His portion and 

He is our prize, 

Drawn to redemption 

by the grace in His eyes 

If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking 

So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns 

violently inside of my chest 

I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way 

He loves us, 

Oh, how He loves us 

Oh, how He loves us 

OH, how He loves 

(x2) 

Yeah, He loves us 

Oh, how He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves. 

Yeah, He loves us 

He loves us 

He loves us 

He loves. 

Yeah, He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves 

He loves us, 

Whoa, how He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves us 

Whoa, how He loves

Okay, good song, huh, I like it and it really pushes home the love that Jesus has for us.  He laid down His life for us in the most extreme show of love.  The line I want to focus on though is "I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way He loves us, " The reason I want to focus on this one is because we all have regrets, and I don't want to be ruled by them.   Lets look at a few of the words, 

main·tain

verb (used with object)

1.

to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain: to maintain good relations with neighboring countries.

To keep in existence, to keep, to preserve,  when I think of preserving something, I think of countless hours 

working on it, making sure it is just right.  I think of the work that goes into planting a garden, the work, the 

time. Next, let's look at regrets.

re·gret

verb (used with object)

1.

to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment,etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.

2.

to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one's vanishedyouth.

noun

3.

a sense of loss, disappointment, dissatisfaction, etc.

4.

a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss,disappointment, etc.

To feel sorrow, remorse,  So if we combine them, we preserve sorrow, we keep remorse. We willingly let ourselves carry baggage.  Why?  The song is right, I don't have time to preserve sorrow or remorse, to keep it, that is work, why would I spend so much energy and time to feel bad?  I don't know about you, but I have better things to do, I have better ways to spend my time. I have been redeemed and forgiven, I have been trying to carry regrets that my Daddy already paid for and washed away. I don't want to cultivate a garden of sorrow when my Daddy has given me a priceless gift.  He gave me my life, and I can't serve Him if I am too busy pruning my rose bush of sorrow.  I am dropping the regrets I hold so tightly in my hands, and allowing my hands to be open to receive the gifts and adventures that Daddy is holding out to me.  He has an amazingly, fantastic, overwhelming plan for you.  Drop the regrets and run to your Daddy, He's waiting!

Love Jordan

Do everything?

Alright, so I know it's been a while but I've been thinking a lot and since it's 3:30am what else would I do but blog about it.  The first thing I want to look at is the following verse in Romans


Romans 7:15-25
    "¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

 ²¹ So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

I have to admit, these verses give me great comfort and hope.  They speak to me so closely right now.  It seems the closer I get to Jesus and that is my goal, the more I feel the enemies attack in many ways.  When thoughts come into my mind that I thought I had long ago wrestled I find old insecurities creeping in.  Fears that I'm not good enough or unworthy of anything good I have to remind myself of this, these verses that open my heart to the truth I need to be shown again and again and again. 

I love music and I always find songs that speak to my heart and draw me closer to my Daddy, one song that I feel works really well with this verse is, "Do Everything" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Do Everything lyrics

by Steven Curtis Chapman

You're picking up toys on the living room floor
for the 15th time today
Matching up socks and sweeping up lost
Cheerios that got away
You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips
and head out the door
And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all
We'll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you


Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every little thing you do


OOoh ooooh oooooh


Maybe you're that guy with the suit and tie
Maybe your shirt says your name
You may be hooking up mergers, cooking up burgers
But at the end of the day


Little stuff big stuff in between stuff
God sees it all the same
And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all
We'll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you do


Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you
To do every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace with every move that you make
And every little thing that you do


Well maybe you're sitting in math class
Maybe on a mission in the Congo
Maybe you're working at the office
Singing along with the radio
Maybe you're dining at a five star
Or feeding orphans in Myanmar
Anywhere and everywhere you are
Whatever you do it all matters
So do what you do and don't ever forget
to do


Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace as you do
Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace with every move that you make
And every little thing that you do


Ooh oooooh
Every little thing you do

I like how the song breaks it down for me, do everything to the glory of Him, everything.  The song even mentions sitting in math class which for me personally hits close because I am not a math girl.  But that isn't the point, It doesn't say do everything to His glory if you want to, it just says do and I believe that is what God calls us to daily.  It shouldn't matter if I feel like going to class, I need to go and go with the heart that says I am bringing God glory in my actions.  I need to be open to the fact that my God works in strange and wonderful ways and He has a perfect plan for me and it includes all the little things He has placed in my path.

I am human and I sin and I fall far short of who I should be, but God can and does use my mess for His glory.  He has a plan and I fit into it, my getting up and going to school and work is part of His plan and I have to fight that inner humanness, that sinful flesh nature that wants it's own way.  I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that I am His child and He controls my life and my only job is to willingly give Him everything, my will, my way, my very life,my dreams, my fears, and my thoughts and emotions, nothing is mine, He alone gives and He alone I need to surrender too.  It sucks sometimes if I'm honest but Jesus loves me, He died for me, how dare I hold anything back from Him. 

I want to challenge you all,  when you feel like you aren't enough, or when you feel like a failure, stop, take a breath and look to your Father, He will never let you down and He is waiting for you with open arms to call on Him and rest in the strongest arms.  You are so loved,  I can't wait to see what He has planned next, lean into Him my loves.

Tear down the walls

The dictionary defines betrayal as:

to reveal unconsciously, to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty, to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling, to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends, to reveal or disclose in violation of confidence.

I want to focus on the definition that states; to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends. 

I know that this is a rough topic to think about, let alone talk about; but I believe it is one that needs to be addressed.  All of us, at some point in our lives will be or have been betrayed by people we care about.  No one is immune from this.

Betrayal can come in many forms and from many people, even those we never thought would hurt us.  Jesus knows the feeling of betrayal all to well.

Luke 22:1-6

^"1 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ² and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. ³ Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴ And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶ He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present."

Luke 22:47-48

"While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸ but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

One of the men who was closest to Jesus betrayed him for some silver coins.  Judas was with Jesus daily, living with Him, serving with Him and learning from Him.  Yet in the end, he betrayed that friendship and doomed his friend to death. (I know it was God's plan, just wanted to show Betrayal in other places)

I know when I am hurt and feel betrayed, I built up walls around my heart.  I figure that if I don't let anyone in, they can't hurt me and I will be safe from Betrayal.  But sweet  ones, we aren't meant to live in our private fortresses, locked away from other people.  The bible calls us to live in community with one another and that gets messy.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Genesis 2:18

"The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

I could go on but you get the point.  We aren't created to be alone, we aren't meant to walk this world alone.  God gave us a beautiful community of people who believe in Him and who are looking to Jesus for guidance.  I know that we are taught to be a one man show, "I don't need anyone, and no one needs me"  That is a lie, we were created to work together and help one another.  To bear one another's burdens.  That voice telling you to put on a smile and say everything is fine is the devil.  He has everything to gain in keeping you alone,  but our Jesus wants so much more for us.  He loves you beyond reason and He knows that we need community.  He knows that sometimes, the only way you will hear Him speaking to you is through the voice of a friend.He knows the pain of betrayal, yet He calls us to be transparent with people, He knows that the pain of betrayal can not compare to the pain of living apart from His people,  Don't hide away in your fortress, grab that sledgehammer and start tearing down walls.  He has so much more for you beyond the walls you built.  

Psalm 7:1 "O Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me." 

Love Letter from my Savior!

Finally, My love, I've been waiting for you.  I desire this time with you more than you know and I am so glad you are stopping to just be with Me.  I have so much to show you.  My love for you grows daily and I crave a place in your heart.  When I look at you, I am blown away by the beauty I see, My creation, My child.  I crafted you so perfectly and I have big plans for you.  I need you to stop focusing on the things you think I did wrong.  I make no mistakes, and I designed you, you are Mine!  I have rejoiced with you and cried with you.  My heart has ached when you turn and call My creation, My bride worthless. You are not worthless, you are priceless. I paid a high price for you, My life.  I knew what I was doing, I wasn't tricked or forced.  I willingly climbed on the Cross for you.  I think you are worth dying for!  You are my daughter, My beloved, and I don't use those words litely. I long for you to see and know the depth of my desire for you.  I want to bring purpose to the pain of your life; but first I need you to know who I say you are.  You will never heal from the past until you accept who I say you are.  The world doesn't know you, not as I know you, they can't, they didn't create you.  I placed each cell of you together.  I crafted every part of you with love and care.  I want you to daily be reaching for me. I am always with you and I always will be. I am building you up and daily breaking down your walls.  Stop fighting me, I love you so much and I have a plan for you. My beautiful daughter, everything I do has a purpose.  Trust me, I will never leave you or forsake you.  You are Mine, live as such!

Love,

Jesus

Date with Jesus

“A husband can’t woo a wife, who isn’t there.” 

I heard this as I turned my car on this evening; I was leaving a good friends house after a wonderful talk with two of the most amazing women I’ve ever had the honor of calling friends.  It hit me really hard as I drove home.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not married, or in a relationship, so here’s a hint, I’m not talking about an earthly husband.  I know most of us have read the bible and learned how as Christians, the church, we are the bride of Christ. 

Alright, you got that, so if we are the wife and the husband, Jesus, is trying to woo us, are we there?  I know I’m not, at least not like I should be.  The creator of the world wants one on one time with me, how dare I deny Him that, yet daily I do. 

Song of Solomon 2:10

 “My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.””

He wants me, daily, to come and rest and be with Him.  I don’t have any fancy hints or ways to make it easier to make time for Him.  All I have is this, an open heart and the desire to let Him speak into my life.  Please dear girls, Let Him woo you.

Isaiah 58:6 (The Message)

 "This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
   to break the chains of injustice, 

   get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
   free the oppressed,
   cancel debts."

Chains: something that binds or restrains

We all have chains, some visible and others that only we see. For some the chains are real and they keep people locked up and away as a means to protect others.  The chains I'm talking about are the ones we carry willingly.  Yes, I said willingly, we pick up these chains every day and we carry them with us like luggage for a trip.  I want to talk about why, why would we make ourselves carry these heavy burdens. 

I want to tell you another story, I like stories in case you hadn't noticed.  My sister recently became the foster mom to a cat.  He came to us very scared and missing his old owner.  The second day we had him he escaped into a loose floorboard in our 200+ year old farm house.  He has been there for over two weeks now.  We have food for him and he is doing okay, he's just in the wall.  We can see him but he won't come out of the floor.  Now, my point with this story is simple, why would he stay in the floor/wall, when he can see freedom and better things.

Safety, fear, take your pick, we do the same things as Pumpkin the cat, we back into our corners of safety and we refuse to leave there even when we can see something better just on the other side of the wall. I pray that eventually the cat will come out.  I think God wants the same for us, He wants us to give up our safety and trust that He will provide for us if we just take that leap of faith and step out.

Climb out of your wall, trust the Father who is sitting by the loose floorboard, calling your name and waiting to give you all good things.  He loves you so very much!

Jordan

Come and rest

Matthew 11:28 (The Message)

 ^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

I was thinking today about rest, we're just now coming down from the holidays, which for me is anything but restful. I get so caught up in the preparations and making sure everything is right and ready that I don't stop to rest.  I get stressed and burned out and just tired.  I want to come to my Daddy and just rest today.

The love of my life is my nephew Luis, he is almost 14 months old and so full of life.  He, like his Tia Jojo(me) doesn't know when to stop and rest. There is a nasty stomach bug going around and of course he got it.  Poor baby, all he can do right now is rest.  He was crying earlier and all he wanted was for me to hold him.  No one else would work, it had to be me, and I sat and rocked him to sleep.  I stared at his beautiful face and I thought about the nights I spent rocking him as a newborn.  I know why he wanted me, I was there, he knew he could climb up on my lap and rest. He would be safe and he could just focus on resting.  Our Daddy wants us to climb in his lap and rest.  He doesn't need us to get up there and list all the things we need to do.  He doesn't ask us to present our demands or list our worries.  There is time for that later.  Right now, He wants us to be like my nephew, climb up and settle in, lay against the heart of Jesus and let it's steady beat remind you of His love and just rest. 

I'm not very good at this myself, I have a million things to do and I don't stop to just be with my Daddy.  I need to learn how to be silent and how to just rest and not expect every minute of my life to be in motion.

Lord,

    Cradle me in your arms.  Let me rest in your arms as a child rests in the arms of a loving caregiver.  Let me forget my worries and doubts, my fears and failures.  Let me just come and rest in your arms and remember my love. 

It's a new year and I wanna spend it loving my Jesus.  I hope you join me.

Jordan