Philippians 2:8

Photo Credit and Word Art: Sarah S.

*J*O*Y*

Christmas is past. But does that mean the joy is done along with it? This time of year, people decorate their houses with the word "joy", write it in their Christmas cards, and wish people the joy of the season. Now that Christmas is over, people take down their decor, put away the cards, and choose new greetings, but we who love Jesus have the secret to joy that lasts all the year round.

When Christ is at the center of our lives and hearts, we know deep joy that is unlike anything this world has known. Jesus Christ in us is pure joy and living life with Him and being in His presence brings deep happiness. The Psalmist wrote, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11). Only in the Lord can the fullness, the completion, of joy be found.

Jesus' came to earth to give us abundant life. Through Him, our precious good Shepherd, our lives will be filled with His joy! "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:10b-11). Abundant life doesn't have anything to do with our circumstances, for Paul once said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). In every season of life, we can have fullness and joy in Christ because it's not dependant on what's going on in our lives, but is dependant on Who is in our lives. True joy comes from Jesus!

In the January Matters of Her Heart, we will be looking deeper at building our joy in Jesus. Looking forward to learning about joy with you! 

In Christ's,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Matthew 1:21

"She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus,

for He will save His people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

Photo Credit: Anna A.

Heart-Hungry

Have you ever been really hungry and tried to satisfy your hunger with snacks or desserts instead of a meal? It didn’t really fill you up, did it? Did you know that this is similar when it comes to our hearts? When we leave our hearts hungry because we are feeding ourselves the sugar of the world instead of the meat and potatoes of Scripture, we are never satisfied. There is always a deeper longing that can’t be touched by anything in this world. But when we run to Jesus, He satisfies us to deepest parts of our hearts and gives us joy and peace like nothing we could even begin to imagine. For, as the Psalmist prayed, “you make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

A far cry from David’s prayer, in today’s day and age, there is much besides Jesus that promises to fulfill our heart-hunger. We long for something to fill us and everywhere we turn, we hear, “I’ll make you happy!” or “I’ll fulfill you!” It could be movies, internet, food, social media, relationships, music…you name it. While often these things are harmless (but they can be devastating to us), they don’t satisfy our hearts. We will always want more and more and more, and we will never be fulfilled.

I have left my heart hungry for God so often, when I could have ran to the place from where true satisfaction comes. Although I always know that I need to be filled with the Lord rather than the things of this world, I ignore the call to what really satisfies and seek to fill myself with things that don’t satisfy my heart. But God’s working on me, just as He is working on you.

One evening I specifically remember wanting to read a novel instead of God’s Word. I was torn, for I knew that my heart was hungry for the Lord, but I really wanted to find out what happened next in the story! Only by His grace did I take my Bible off my nightstand. I haven’t always had such self-control. Even tonight it was so tempting to sit down in the living room and watch a movie instead of going to my room, lying on my bed, and opening my Bible.

To let you peer into my journal, here’s what I wrote this evening: “This is where I need to be…I didn’t want to come at first. A movie sounded more inviting. But now that I’m here, I know this is right. I do want to be with my Jesus.” It may be hard to come away to be with Him, but when I do, I realize that I was so wrong to want anything beside Him, for nothing and no one in this world can ever satisfy the way Jesus does. He is so wonderful and He fulfills our heart-hunger to the uttermost, leaving no part of our hearts empty.

Psalm 107:9 says, “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Longings and hunger are satisfied and filled forever in the Lord and only in Him. He fills us with His “good things”, which are beyond our imagination and better than anything this world could offer. “You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Psalm 145:16). This verse captures the reality that God has the power to satisfy us in His hand. As we come and seek the fulfillment and the satisfaction that can be found only in Him, our hearts won’t be hungry anymore. “The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalm 34:10). Isn’t that amazing? We will “lack no good thing”! What an incredible God we serve. He is the ultimate satisfier of our hearts. “For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish” (Jeremiah 31:25).

                                             

Is your heart hungry today? Are you longing for more out of life than a hungry heart that is never satisfied? Then, come with me to Jesus, the One who fulfills the hunger of our hearts. We don’t have to be hungry. We just need to come to our Lord and seek Him. He will fulfill the desires of our heart. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger,

and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” ~ John 6:35

Learning to be satisfied in Jesus with you,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Bright Lights: December 17th, 2014

On Wednesday, we gathered together to study the topic of mercy through songs, Scripture, activities, prayer, and fellowship! I hope you enjoy this 20 minute video! https://vimeo.com/115018670.

Love,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Isaiah 9:6

"For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

~ Isaiah 9:6

Honest to God

“Lord, I don’t want to read your Word right now…I don’t love it…Scripture seems so boring.”

Have you ever prayed something like this to God? It can be hard to be honest with Him, for we want to say things such as, “Lord, your Word is sweet…It brings me peace….I love it more than any other book.” We want to pray with the Psalmist, “I will delight in your statutes” (Psalm 119:16a). It is wonderful when we can come to a place in our spiritual walk that we can say such things to Him. But until we can pray these words honestly, we shouldn’t lie and pretend we love God’s Word when we don’t.

Learning to be honest with the Lord about our lack of desire for Him and His Word is the first step in delighting in Scripture and His presence. Recently in my own life, I felt a lack of thirst for God. I didn’t want to be with Him. I didn’t want to read the Bible. I didn’t want to pray. While I was discouraged about my lack of desire for the Lord and His Word, I wasn’t sure how to change in order to cultivate a thirst for Him.

God prompted me to be honest with Him instead of putting on a show for Him with my devotions. Reading excerpts of my recent journal entries, I see a heart longing for a desire for His Word and presence. I prayed, begging the Lord to give me a hunger for His Word and for Him.

You know what’s so amazing? He did! I’m still learning and growing, but lately, I’ve enjoyed reading Scripture and sitting at Jesus’ feet, basking in His presence and His Truth. Instead of thinking of this act as a bore, I am learning to enjoy it again and delight in God and the gift of His Word.

Do you struggle to love Scripture? Is your quiet time a pain rather than a joy? Tell Jesus! He already knows and He wants you, as He wanted me, to tell Him. As we draw near to His throne, asking for grace, He will give it. “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).

God doesn’t want us to try to act like we have it all together. Our prayers are mockery to Him if we are just saying things for the sake of saying them. When we pretend we love God’s Word when we don’t, we’re lying to Him. Instead, God calls us to honesty, for “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). As we tell Him about our struggle to love His Word, He will heal and renew us, giving us a deeper love and passion for Him and Scripture. He can do it and He will. Let’s just ask and be honest to God.

Blessings,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Psalm 16:11

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; 

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." ~ Psalm 16:11

~ Photo Credit: Alyssa H. ~

Anna is Thankful For...

Week One
1: A loving Daddy who cares for my heart.
2: For a healthy family
3: Homemade Chexmix
4: Imagination.
5: Good Books
6: My little brother and his big eyes!
7:Warm tea

Week Two

1. Flowers

2. C.S. Lewis
3. Colored Pencils
4. Smiles
5. My grandparents
6. Laughter
7. Snow

Week Three
1. A warm house
2. Mom's Peppermint Fudge
3. God and his steadfast love
4. God and his mercy
5. Creativity
6. Christmas
7. A church family as awesome as mine!

Week Four
1. Friends who make me laugh.
2. For the fact that we can worship Jesus freely
3. Matters of Her Heart for doing this thankfulness challenge!
4. Mashed Potatoes
5. Guns
6. My own personal Bible
7. Warm clothing
8. Awesome Grandparents who encourage me to do my best in everything

Thanks for sharing, Anna, and blessings to you! Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Colossians 4:2

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." ~ Colossians 4:2

~ Photo Credit: Alyssa H. ~

Last Thankfulness List

As we conclude the November challenge, here's my list of the things for which I have been grateful to God this past week:

Sunday: Wonderful friends!
Monday: Heat!
Tuesday: The Lord.
Wednesday: Growing in Christ.
Thursday: Extended family.
Friday: My hometown.
Saturday: Work.
Sunday: Conviction

Even though this challenge is over, I hope we will all remember to look for ways to rejoice in all the gifts God has given us. He is so good, all the time!

"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father 

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." ~ Ephesians 5:20

Blessings,

Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!