Giving Thanks (and announcing the November Contest!)

Fall is here. I stepped outside on Tuesday afternoon for a few moments. With leaves scattered around my bare feet, sun streaming through the trees, and a crisp breeze stirring up the leaves, I felt more alive than I have felt for awhile. In busy seasons of life, we can easily forget to take pleasure in the little things God gives us. To cultivate a grateful heart, we need to take the time to look away from the things that are pressing in on us in order to see Jesus and thank Him for every gift He gives to us.

For the month of November, I challenge you to write down one thing each day that you are thankful for. At the end of each week (Saturday - but if you forget, send them by Sunday at the latest), email me your list along with a Fall picture or a picture of something for which you are grateful (please tell me if you would not like me to use the photos or lists on the blog or emails). Whoever is faithful to send me their "thankful list" each week along with the best photographs will win a homemade scarf! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!

Also, be sure to be checking the blog! Each week I will post my list of seven things I'm grateful for along with fall pictures and verses about gratefulness!

Love you all in Christ!
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Bright Lights: October 15th, 2014

Last Wednesday at Bright Lights God gave us a beautiful evening as we learned about the topic of truthfulness. In the following video, you can see a couple pictures from the meeting, hear the lovely ladies and girls sing a verse of "And Can it Be", and watch me share about truthfulness from Scripture and express my own struggle in this area. May you be blessed and may God be glorified!

Follow this link to view the video: vimeo.com/109756344.

In the light of Jesus,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Hebrews 12:14

"Let us strive for peace with everyone, and holiness without which no one will see the Lord." 

~ Hebrews 12:14

Look Up!

As I was walking into work last week, I looked up. It was amazing. The autumn sky was such a bright blue with a few wispy clouds thrown across it. I realized that it had been such a long time since I had looked up into the sky. I am usually so focused on getting to work or thinking about something else and I don't take the time to enjoy God's beautiful creation. Spending that moment gazing into the sky brought me peace and joy because it reminded me how wonderful God is. He is bigger than my problems and sweeter than anything here on earth.

Hebrews 12:1b-2a says, "Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith."

We need to get our eyes off of our sin, worry, stress, and busyness, and onto Christ. So, my friends, look up!

Love in Christ,
Christina

Hebrews 6:11-12

"And we desire each of you to show the same earnestness to 

have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, 

but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

 ~ Hebrews 6:11-12

Is He Safe?

Do you remember Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia? He is the awe-inspiring lion who rules over the kingdom of Narnia. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as the Pevensie children talk about Aslan with the Beavers, Susan asked "Is he - quite safe?" Mrs. Beaver goes on to talk about the lion and then Lucy said, "then, he isn't safe?" Mr. Beaver responds, "Safe?...Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

Throughout all seven of the Narnia books, we learn who Aslan is, see his power, and experience his goodness. He lays down his life for Edmond. He talks and walks with Lucy. He turns Eustance back from a dragon into a human. He is always there when his people (or creatures) need him. He is the King. When each person first sees or meets "The Great Lion", they are afraid. But once those who are "his"(the "good guys") know him, they see his goodness and love him.

Lately, I've been struck by how Aslan is such an incredible picture of God. Our Lord is awe-inspiring, fierce, and strong. Hebrews 12:29 says, "Our God is a consuming fire." We should fear God. We must stand in awe of Him. A lion is a beast with fierce beauty. God used this picture to describe Himself (Hosea 5:14, Revelation 5:5). It's important that we recognize why. God isn't just a cuddly, sweet, teddy-bear to have around and hang out with. He is so much more. He is God and He deserves our adoration: "let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe" (Hebrews 13:28b). 

Such an awesome God stirs my heart. Because He is so amazing, I love Him. He is so much more than a mushy, quiet, small, comfortable person to be around. He is absolutely incredible and worthy of all our worship. He is God. Isaiah wrote, "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'" He so majestic. And we should fear Him because He is so great: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). 

Am I saying that we should be afraid of God? Not in the sense that we are paralyzed by fear and are scared of God. I'm talking about a fear that stands in awe of such a powerful, majestic God. If we are saved through trusting Christ alone for salvation (by grace through faith - Ephesians 2:8-9), we don't need to be afraid that God will reject us or that He doesn't love us. We can know that what He says is true. He always keeps all of His promises, for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). And God's perfect love casts out all our fears (1 John 4:18). My hope in this post isn't to make you scared of God, but instead to awaken a holy awe and worship through this picture of a lion. As young women walking with Christ, we need to stand in awe of God. He is the most incredible One. We cannot take Him for granted or take Him lightly. For He is real. He is the living God. And He deserves all our worship. 

There's something else that I love about the picture of "Aslan". C.S. Lewis created in this lion the powerful, majestic, fearsome aspects of God, but countered it with gentleness and goodness. He and Lucy shared many quiet moments together. Lucy was always looking for him, having faith that he would come. One of my dear friends, Kelsie, shared with me how she relates to Lucy and Aslan's close relationship, saying that it reflects  her walk with God. For Lucy and Aslan shared sweet, tender closeness and companionship. Our God's majesty should inspire awe in us and also deep love and a deep desire to draw near into His presence. For we learn that He is not only strong, but that He is also gentle, and He is always good. 

Through Christ, as the author of Hebrews writes, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water" (Hebrews 10:22). Because of Christ's cleansing, we can draw near. We can know that He will welcome us with open arms. "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Just as Lucy looked for Aslan with the eyes of faith, and confidently drew near to him, longing to be in his presence, let us draw close to our Lord with faith and delight. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). 

God is awesome. He is fierce and strong, as well as gentle and loving. When we take the full picture of God to heart, studying His Word to better understand Him, there is so much beauty to be discovered. God is so far above us. But through Christ, He is also with us.

Just as the Pevensie children asked, we should query, "Is God safe?" The answer is no. But, He is incredibly good. Let's walk in the fear of the Lord and draw nearer and nearer to Him, knowing that it is a privilege to enter His presence. May we only love Him more deeply as we see Him more clearly and experience Him more fully. He is awesome, amazing, incredible, wonderful, majestic, loving, true, good…the list could go on forever. And our list of His attributes will continue to eternity and beyond. As we worship Him together, He is honored. "Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name" (Hebrews 13:15). 

In the fear of the Lord,

Christina

P.S. I'll be sharing this article (though probably adapted and expanded) in the October Matters of Her Heart email. 

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

The Faithfulness of God

There are times in my life when I find myself discouraged and distant from the Lord. Today I was wondering why I keep falling away from my joy-filled, fulfilling, intimate walk with God.

As I wonder why this happens, I do know how it happens. When I take my eyes off of Jesus and stop reading His Word and spending time with Him, instead I start focusing on myself and other things. My heart and mind quickly grow distracted, worried, and soon, discouraged.

I think God allows me these seasons of distance so that He can woo me back into His loving presence and so that I can taste (yet again) the forgiveness He offers, falling in love with Him all over again. I need to trust that He will welcome me back. Just like He always does. 

In the book of Hebrews, I've been reading so much about my God and I've noticed how often the author talks about His faithfulness.  

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." ~ Hebrews 13:8

My Lord is the always the same. He is always faithful. My feelings will fluctuate. I know I'm not perfect and there will be times when I'm unfaithful. But my Lord is faithful. He will never change or fail. He is always the same. And I can lean on Him, living in dependance on Him. 

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." ~ Hebrews 6:19-20

These verses gripped my heart today. Jesus, my high priest, is my sure (trustworthy) and steadfast (faithful) anchor. I am secure and held fast in Him. He is holding me. Because He is faithful, I'm not going anywhere. I'm safe in Him.

"Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, 

since He always lives to make intercession for them." ~ Hebrews 7:25

My precious Jesus saves me to the uttermost. In other words, He saves me completely. As I draw near, He welcomes me, for He is always (imagine that!) interceding for me. He never leaves. I may be distracted, discouraged, and unfaithful, but He never leaves me alone. He is so faithful and true.

Today as I have been drawn back into the presence of God, I have felt His peace and joy again. Lying on a blanket outside, reading His Word, and writing about Him brought me back into His presence and helped me to experience who He is. To see that He is faithful. And I love Him so much because He is.

This video from the Ellerslie Mission Socieity presents all the names of Christ throughout Scripture. Please take the time to watch and worship, recognizing how wonderful our God is and seeing the beauty that He doesn't change. He is always faithful.

In the faithfulness of Christ,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!