October 2, 2009
“God clarifies in the midst of obedience, not beforehand.”
I heard this tonight and it resonated with me. Too often I am searching for clarity from the Lord when it may be just around the corner if only I would take a step of obedience to find it. It seems so simple but the seeming can be trivial. Obedience is not always simple, nor is waiting on clarity. This is why the hard decisions in life are so HARD. I have found myself in both places this year. Experiencing the pain of obedience is difficult and the waiting period can be dim but I believe the result of the two combined will be SWEET. I’m hoping for clarity and experiencing grace as I wait and learn to obey.
September 17, 2009
It’s September.
Yes, I know I haven’t blogged since July. It’s been crazy to say the least. In light of the craziness, I decided to begin reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Perhaps with this new season I will get back into this blogging thing but if I don’t, I’m not going to worry myself over it. I’m going to delete it!
Dear Fall Weather,
Please hurry and come!
Love, Jenni
July 4, 2009
One of the things I have always loved about summer is the extra time I have to read. Even though I have been out of school for a year, my work schedule still allows for more summer reading and I’m so thankful! I recently read a biography on Gladys Aylward. She is inspiring and the Lord made much of Himself through her life. I would recommend any book on her life.
Most recently, I read Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney and I am asking that you please read it. It is written beautifully and simply to emphasize the essential and central message of the gospel, the CROSS. As Mahaney says, “The message of Christ and Him crucified is the Christian’s hope, confidence, and assurance.” SO GOOD!!! You can buy it here or borrow it from me.
Happy 4th of July!
June 24, 2009
“I need you Jesus to come to my rescue.
Where else can I go?
There’s no other name by which I am saved.
Capture me with grace.
I will follow You.
This world has nothing for me, I will follow You.”
I can’t tell you how many times this song has cried out of my heart in the past few years. I remember one night in high school when I was driving home from Radka Ave. Radka was quite the hangout since 3 of my 3 best friends lived in the neighborhood. It was an especially hard time because we had just lost a friend to death and that night driving home I felt helpless. I was lost and confused. Then God gently encouraged me through the radio and this song. Since then, there have been many more similar experiences.
Last week in San Diego, the students were sitting around the piano playing and singing songs, when we came across Rescue in the music folder. Jason played it on the piano and we sang the song. I needed it! Because even though it was an amazing week seeing the Lord work in and through our group, it was also a hard week for me. I was struggling within my heart to hope in the Lord and find my complete joy in Him. The past year has been very difficult and as I look to this next year I see the same. I need Jesus to come to my rescue and thank you God because He already has. Jesus came to my rescue at the cross and now when I have hard days, hard years, I can hope in Jesus. ”Why are you in despair oh my soul? HOPE IN GOD!” – Psalm 42
June 21, 2009
were the sweet words I heard from one of my dear middle school girls as we laid down to sleep this past Wednesday night.
When she said those words, my heart filled with gratefulness and my eyes with tears. The Lord is doing mighty things in her life and in the lives of our students. I have prayed that God would open the girls’ eyes and hearts to Him, His Word, and His work in this world. I was so touched to watch Him work and I was blessed to spend the week in San Diego with my church family.
I love them and I love the Lord!!
June 13, 2009
I often find my heart wandering from the grace of God and when I really stop to search for reasons, I can only ask myself “Why?” Why do I fall into believing the lies that my flesh and the world pitch to me. The lies that say the world will satisfy. It’s hard. I find myself wanting the things of this world. At surface the things look good, they look nice, right?! What’s wrong with loving those things?
“I too could come to love these things but there is another world.” – John Wesley
Last fall I heard this quote from John Wesley and I’ve yet to let it go. I shared with my friends my struggles in loving these things, but more than that, I shared the gentle reminder I received from Wesley of the truth I know from scripture. I wanted to share it one more time. Let us not forget to remember the Gospel today.
Dear Friends,
“I too could come to love these things but there is another world.” – John Wesley
Sometimes (and lately) I struggle with loving the things of this world and worrying about things that are temporal. Mr. Wesley, and more importantly, the Bible points us to love much worthier things. Paul speaks of these things all over. In Colossians 3 he says to seek the things above and to set our minds on things above. All through out Philippians he shares how “to live is Christ and to die is gain” and that we should count everything as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. 1 John 2 says “do not love the world or the things in the world.” In Matthew, Jesus tells us to “seek first His kingdom and righteousness.” I could go on and on and I know you could add so many more to help me as well.
I hope you are encouraged like I have been that Christ is much better. He is precious and He is King. I pray that we will walk according to the Spirit and that He will give us Kingdom eyes to see and love only what is worthy of Christ. If you have anymore scripture to encourage, please share with me and with all if you would like. Also, please pray that I will love Christ and find the things of this world worthless in view of knowing Christ.
I love you friends.
June 4, 2009
I finished Trusting God today and I already want to go back through and re-read so many parts of the book. Thank you Jerry Bridges for your encouragement in this book, for pointing me to truth and for leading me to trust our Sovereign Lord.
I highly recommend you pick this one up to read. I wish I could post the entire book on my blog but I know that would be ineffective (and I’d be breaking the law). Instead, I want to share a few things I took from the book that might spark an interest.
Three truths we must believe that will lead us to trust God in hard times are
- God is completely sovereign.
- God is infinite in wisdom.
- God is perfect in love.
Bridges expounds on these three truths and provides a lot of Biblical references to show you why they’re true.
One thing that has been resonating in my head, and in my heart, is that “God never wastes pain (p 107).” In everything He is working for His Glory and the good of His people. We can trust that, because He is sovereign, infinite in wisdom and perfect in love, He is allowing our pain for our good. He allows good and bad, and it all is ultimately for His glory and our good. We can’t see it but we can trust Him (2 Cor. 5:7). Our trusting Him brings great glory to God because we believe that He is who He says He is.
I could write so much more but I’ll leave you with this, “As for God, his way is perfect” (Ps. 18:30). AWESOME!
June 3, 2009
was all around me today. It was in the gray morning skies, the flowers on my desk, the warm and sunny afternoon, the rolling hills, the mountains, the amazing sunset, the darkening skies, and the GOSPEL.
I don’t understand Him “but God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together in Christ – by grace you have been saved-.” (Eph 2:4-5)
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Ps. 19:1
May 22, 2009
“Expect great things from God, Attempt great things for God.” -William Carey
What a challenge it is to do this on a daily basis.
Do I even try?
