May 23, 2013 By 11 Comments

A Breathtaking View! {Five Minute Friday}

My view or perception of myself is often far from how my Heavenly Father sees me.

When I look at myself, I see my imperfections — the extra weight that’s been hanging on for the last 10 years, a head of hair with gray peeking through, hands with wrinkles in them (yes I am nearing 50 – in a few years) and everything negative.

I often wonder what it is that God sees when He looks at me.  When He bends over the balcony of heaven, and glances my way, what is His view?

I imagine God having a chat with the angels as He proclaims,

Look, do you see here?  There she is.  My Chosen One.  My Beloved. I delight in her. She doesn’t realize yet how much she’s loved.  But I am working on her heart. Her view of me is skewed, from much pain and hurt, but I am working a healing in that heart of hers.  She will come to know and understand  my love, and she will fully embrace my view of her.  For I will open her eyes to see herself as she truly is. I want her to know how much joy she brings to my heart.  I want her to know that she was perfectly hand crafted and placed on the earth for such a time as this. Oh, just look at my Daughter.  What a breathtaking view!

What is it that you think God sees when He looks at you?  Do you know that His view of you is filled with so much joy and pleasure?  For you are His Daughter and He delights in you!

Five Minute Friday

Filed Under: My Life in God Tagged With:
May 22, 2013 By 21 Comments

God Will Grow Your Heart

I haven’t had many words to share with you lately.  With the juggling of work, ministry, family and homeschooling, I have had to allow myself time to step back and wait for God to speak.  I never want to force my writing here.  I love when God speaks clearly to me and gives me the words that I hope will encourage you.

Today I was sitting in the prayer room during our staff set.  Normally, I would open my computer and log into YouVersion to catch up on my Bible reading plans. Or, I would continue reading the current book that I am working through.  But today I decided to just sit and look at Jesus.

My heart has been heavy with the weight of all that has happened in the last few days in the world.  Storms, tornados, lives lost.  It’s hard sometimes to take it all in.  I purposefully choose not to watch the news, or read too much, because my heart is so vulnerable.  I am afraid that if I spend too much time looking at the circumstances surrounding me, that I will lose sight of Jesus in the midst of it.

As I sat in the prayer room today to look at Him, a song came forth from the worship on the stream about giving our hearts to God, loving Him completely and walking in love.  As I sang the words, and waited for my heart to feel what I so desperately longed to feel, I saw myself, with arms outstretched before the Throne of God.  In my hands I carried my heart.  It was small in comparison to the size of my hands.  I almost felt ashamed that I was bringing such a small heart before a big God.  As I continued to sing and pray, I say a stream of colors come down like a waterfall and pour over my heart.  I immediately connected this stream of color with the love of God.  It was as if liquid love was being poured into my heart and I saw my heart grow in size.

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  (Ephesians 3:19)

In order for my heart to grow in love, I must know the giver of love.  As I sat and reflected on the encounter that I had just had with God, I realized how much I need to be filled with God, to be filled with His love, so that I can pour out onto a world around me who needs a touch from Him.  It really is all about the love of God.  The more time I sit and gaze at Him, the more I am filled with His love.  I cannot make my heart grow.  Only God, through His love, can grow my heart.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Are you taking time to sit and look at Jesus?  What is it that you see?  How is God growing your heart with His love?  I would love it if you would share with me in the comments below.

Filed Under: My Life in God
May 17, 2013 By 29 Comments

The Weekend Brew: He Restores Me To Life

I came across this scripture in my reading yesterday.  Wow, what a promise!

Do you ever have days when you feel as if the life has been sucked right out of you?  I do.

God never promised that we wouldn’t have hard times.  But He does promise that He will be with us through it all.

I have to admit that it’s hard to keep my head above water some days, when it all comes crashing down. Sometimes I feel like a failure as I focus way too much on my circumstances, wondering where God is in the middle of it all.  But He’s right there, beside me, in the thick of it.  He’s never left me.  And He never will.

God promises to give us abundant life.  And when you feel as if you’ve had the life sucked right out of you, He promises that He will restore you to life, and lift you up once again.

Hang in there friend.  It will get better.  I promise!

Now it’s your turn to share encouragement here at The Weekend Brew.
1.  Share a post, photo, scripture — anything that breathes life and encourages.  (Please only link one post.  Multiple posts from the same site will be deleted.)
2.  Grab the button to use in your post, or simply link here.
3.  Visit the person who linked up before you (and a few others if you have time).

 

Filed Under: My Life in God, Scripture Meditation, The Weekend Brew
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