Merry Christmas everyone! I pray that everyone had a great day celebrating Jesus, because HE is the reason for the season.
Numbers 24:17-19
"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
Edom shall be dispossessed;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
Israel is doing valiantly.
And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
and destroy the survivors of cities!”
A Christmas Carol by Samuel Taylor Coleridge-
The shepherds went their hasty way,
And found the lowly stable-shed
Where the Virgin-Mother lay:
And now they checked their eager tread,
For to the Babe, that at her bosom clung,
A Mother's song the Virgin-Mother sung.
They told her how a glorious light,
Streaming from a heavenly throng.
Around them shone, suspending night!
While sweeter than a mother's song,
Blest Angels heralded the Savior's birth,
Glory to God on high! and Peace on Earth.
She listened to the tale divine,
And closer still the Babe she pressed:
And while she cried, the Babe is mine!
The milk rushed faster to her breast:
Joy rose within her, like a summer's morn;
Peace, Peace on Earth! the Prince of Peace is born.
Thou Mother of the Prince of Peace,
Poor, simple, and of low estate!
That strife should vanish, battle cease,
O why should this thy soul elate?
Sweet Music's loudest note, the Poet's story,
Didst thou ne'er love to hear of fame and glory?
And is not War a youthful king,
A stately Hero clad in mail?
Beneath his footsteps laurels spring;
Him Earth's majestic monarchs hail
Their friends, their playmate! and his bold bright eye
Compels the maiden's love-confessing sigh.
Tell this in some more courtly scene,
To maids and youths in robes of state!
I am a woman poor and mean,
And wherefore is my soul elate.
War is a ruffian, all with guilt defiled,
That from the aged father's tears his child!
A murderous fiend, by fiends adored,
He kills the sire and starves the son;
The husband kills, and from her board
Steals all his widow's toil had won;
Plunders God's world of beauty; rends away
All safety from the night, all comfort from the day.
Then wisely is my soul elate,
That strife should vanish, battle cease:
I'm poor and of low estate,
The Mother of the Prince of Peace.
Joy rises in me, like a summer's morn:
Peace, Peace on Earth! The Prince of Peace is born!
Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhma mhath ur!
Charity
Monday, December 26, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Weekend Fun
I had such a fantastic weekend! I got to spends it with my best friend in NC. My sister Faith went with me because Hannah is her best friend, so ended up working great because I didn't want to drive by myself :) On Friday, by the time we got there it was time to prepare dinner, so we made pizza for pizza/movie night. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures, but wow, nothing beats homemade pizza! And for the movie we watched "Polar Express" a sure Christmas classic. Saturday started early, we were up by 7 am getting ready to go into town. Us girls have started a new tradition whenever we get together and that's going to a Coffee Shop to hang out, talk, and drink coffee. There's a fabulous shop called "Dunkin Grind" that we went to. Then we watched Nate test and get his yellow belt in karate. Congratulations Nate!! After the karate test we were off on an adventure to find the perfect Christmas tree, a mission that was very successful ;) Then we went and got some yummy hot chocolate from a quaint country store called the "Mercantile". And back home. The evening was filled with Dutch Blitz tournaments, family fun, and encouraging conversations. Sunday we went to church, and the pastor talked about Jesus being THE good Shepherd, and what a sweet reminder it was to me to know that as the Good Shepherd, He leads me in the way everlasting. We had lunch with some of the Edmondsons friends and had a great time of fellowship. For the ready of the day we just hung out and chilled, a much needed day of rest! We ended the evening by watching Sherlock Holmes, with Basil Rathbone. And the next morning Faith and I returned home.
Thank you sweet friends for the great time we had with you! Your hospitality was/is much appreciated! I look forward to seeing you much sooner than later. Love you, sweet ladies!
In Christ,
Charity
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
Dear Friends!
Happy, happy thanksgiving! I pray that it was truly a day of giving thanks for you!
When thinking about what thanksgiving really means, its not about the turkey, nor about the football games, as fun and meaningful to us they may be, I think its soemthing much deeper, it is a season to echo grace. Here is a post by David Mathias from DesirngGod.org that I think is so true and so appropos for this season:
"Giving thanks is no small thing for the Christian. But far too many of us have the wrong impression. Deep down we may see the summons to thanksgiving as pretty peripheral. Giving thanks — whoop dee doo — What really excites me is ___________. It is tragic when gratitude seems obscure to the very people who have the most to be thankful for. To sinners forever saved by grace, thanksgiving should be significant. Even central. Healthy Christians are thankful Christians.
Central to Honoring God
In fact, Romans 1:21 shows us that thanksgiving is what we were created for, and it is “at the heart of what it means to be a Christian,” says Tremper Longman. Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21) There it is. Side by side with honoring God is giving him thanks. Don’t underestimate the centrality of thanksgiving. Gratitude is essential in doing whatever we do to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and thanklessness is deeply intertwined with what it means to “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This no small thing. So Longman gives us this jarring angle: “The real difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the former gives thanks to God” (How to Read the Psalms, 144). In A Praying Life, Paul Miller adds some similar reflections about the centrality of thanksgiving for the Christian. While it was thanklessness that was “the first sin to emerge from our ancient rebellion against God’ (Romans 1:21), in our ongoing redemption, it is thanksgiving that “replaces a bitter spirit with a generous one” (89–90). (For a strong couple pages on “Cultivating a Thankful Spirit,” see Miller’s Praying Life, 89-91.) Thanksgiving is important—essential—because the Christian life, from the beginning to end, is a life of extraordinary grace.
Created to Echo Grace
Thanksgiving “exults in grace,” writes John Piper. Gratitude was “created by God to echo grace.” We were created by God to echo his grace, and we’ve been redeemed by Jesus to echo his astounding grace all the more. Piper continues, I exalt gratitude as a central biblical response of the heart to the grace of God. The Bible commands gratitude to God as one of our highest duties. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). God says that gratitude honors him: “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me” (Psalm 50:23). (Future Grace, 32) There it is again. Note the close connection between thanksgiving and the massive biblical reality of honoring and glorifying God. Thanksgiving is big time.
Echoing Grace Without Nullifying It
But a danger lurks. The Bible doesn’t have much, if anything, to say about obeying out of gratitude. Giving thanks to God for what he has given to us is precious and essential—and so is trusting him for his ongoing provision in the future. Thanksgiving is beautiful, but it can go bad on us, if we try to give it Faith’s job. There is an impulse in the fallen human—all our hearts—to forget that gratitude is a spontaneous response of joy to receiving something . . . . When we forget this, what happens is that gratitude starts to be misused and distorted as an impulse to pay for the very thing that came to us “gratis” [free]. This terrible moment is the birthplace of the “debtor’s ethic.” The debtor’s ethic says, “Because you have done something good for me, I feel indebted to do something good for you.” This impulse is not what gratitude was designed to produce. God meant gratitude to be a spontaneous expression of pleasure in the gift and the good will of another. He did not mean it to be an impulse to return favors. If gratitude is twisted into a sense of debt, it gives birth to the debtor’s ethic—and the effect is to nullify grace. (32)
Thanks for the Past, Trust for the Future
Thanksgiving must learn to delegate, and not attempt to do all the work itself. Thanksgiving has an indispensible ally named Faith, and they need to stay in good communication. Gratitude exults in the past benefits of God and says to faith, “Embrace more of these benefits for the future, so that my happy work of looking back on God’s deliverance may continue.” (38) And Faith is eager to respond, “Thank you, Thanksgiving, for sending me your impulses of delight in what God has done. I’ll happily transpose those into faith and keep on trusting him. I’ll keep believing in Jesus for more grace.”
More Grace to Come
May God be pleased to fill us to overflowing with thanksgiving for his amazing graces—the greatest of which is the gift of himself in the person of his Son. And may thanksgiving give rise to great hope that the God who has so richly provided for us to date, will most certainly give us everything we need for our everlasting good—and increase for all eternity in showing us “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).
The grace we’ve seen so far is only a taste of the grace that is to come. Have your thanksgiving ready. There will be much more echoing to enjoy."
Psalm 150-
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!
God we thank You for Your nearness to us this season and for always being with us!!
Forever in Him,
Charity
Happy, happy thanksgiving! I pray that it was truly a day of giving thanks for you!
When thinking about what thanksgiving really means, its not about the turkey, nor about the football games, as fun and meaningful to us they may be, I think its soemthing much deeper, it is a season to echo grace. Here is a post by David Mathias from DesirngGod.org that I think is so true and so appropos for this season:
"Giving thanks is no small thing for the Christian. But far too many of us have the wrong impression. Deep down we may see the summons to thanksgiving as pretty peripheral. Giving thanks — whoop dee doo — What really excites me is ___________. It is tragic when gratitude seems obscure to the very people who have the most to be thankful for. To sinners forever saved by grace, thanksgiving should be significant. Even central. Healthy Christians are thankful Christians.
Central to Honoring God
In fact, Romans 1:21 shows us that thanksgiving is what we were created for, and it is “at the heart of what it means to be a Christian,” says Tremper Longman. Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21) There it is. Side by side with honoring God is giving him thanks. Don’t underestimate the centrality of thanksgiving. Gratitude is essential in doing whatever we do to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and thanklessness is deeply intertwined with what it means to “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This no small thing. So Longman gives us this jarring angle: “The real difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the former gives thanks to God” (How to Read the Psalms, 144). In A Praying Life, Paul Miller adds some similar reflections about the centrality of thanksgiving for the Christian. While it was thanklessness that was “the first sin to emerge from our ancient rebellion against God’ (Romans 1:21), in our ongoing redemption, it is thanksgiving that “replaces a bitter spirit with a generous one” (89–90). (For a strong couple pages on “Cultivating a Thankful Spirit,” see Miller’s Praying Life, 89-91.) Thanksgiving is important—essential—because the Christian life, from the beginning to end, is a life of extraordinary grace.
Created to Echo Grace
Thanksgiving “exults in grace,” writes John Piper. Gratitude was “created by God to echo grace.” We were created by God to echo his grace, and we’ve been redeemed by Jesus to echo his astounding grace all the more. Piper continues, I exalt gratitude as a central biblical response of the heart to the grace of God. The Bible commands gratitude to God as one of our highest duties. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). God says that gratitude honors him: “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me” (Psalm 50:23). (Future Grace, 32) There it is again. Note the close connection between thanksgiving and the massive biblical reality of honoring and glorifying God. Thanksgiving is big time.
Echoing Grace Without Nullifying It
But a danger lurks. The Bible doesn’t have much, if anything, to say about obeying out of gratitude. Giving thanks to God for what he has given to us is precious and essential—and so is trusting him for his ongoing provision in the future. Thanksgiving is beautiful, but it can go bad on us, if we try to give it Faith’s job. There is an impulse in the fallen human—all our hearts—to forget that gratitude is a spontaneous response of joy to receiving something . . . . When we forget this, what happens is that gratitude starts to be misused and distorted as an impulse to pay for the very thing that came to us “gratis” [free]. This terrible moment is the birthplace of the “debtor’s ethic.” The debtor’s ethic says, “Because you have done something good for me, I feel indebted to do something good for you.” This impulse is not what gratitude was designed to produce. God meant gratitude to be a spontaneous expression of pleasure in the gift and the good will of another. He did not mean it to be an impulse to return favors. If gratitude is twisted into a sense of debt, it gives birth to the debtor’s ethic—and the effect is to nullify grace. (32)
Thanks for the Past, Trust for the Future
Thanksgiving must learn to delegate, and not attempt to do all the work itself. Thanksgiving has an indispensible ally named Faith, and they need to stay in good communication. Gratitude exults in the past benefits of God and says to faith, “Embrace more of these benefits for the future, so that my happy work of looking back on God’s deliverance may continue.” (38) And Faith is eager to respond, “Thank you, Thanksgiving, for sending me your impulses of delight in what God has done. I’ll happily transpose those into faith and keep on trusting him. I’ll keep believing in Jesus for more grace.”
More Grace to Come
May God be pleased to fill us to overflowing with thanksgiving for his amazing graces—the greatest of which is the gift of himself in the person of his Son. And may thanksgiving give rise to great hope that the God who has so richly provided for us to date, will most certainly give us everything we need for our everlasting good—and increase for all eternity in showing us “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).
The grace we’ve seen so far is only a taste of the grace that is to come. Have your thanksgiving ready. There will be much more echoing to enjoy."
Psalm 150-
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD!
God we thank You for Your nearness to us this season and for always being with us!!
Forever in Him,
Charity
Friday, November 18, 2011
Decisions or Disciples?
Dear Friends,
For today I am posting a devotional by A.W. Tozer:
"Today we need people who dare to question the status quo and say, "Wait a minute here. Where do you find this in the Bible?" The idea that all you have to do is to accept Christ and you are in is a great mistake. It leaves people with the impression that if they accept Christ they have no fight to fight, no warfare, no job to do and no temptations. They are just in. When you accept Christ rightly as your Lord and Savior you are in, but to be honest, you have just started to fight. People get converted and we do not tell them that they must fight all the way through to heaven because of the spirit of degeneration and the tendency to deteriorate. They must fight, pray through, suffer it out and live in praise and worship, because if they do not they will deteriorate. Read the history of the Christian church if you can keep your faith and keep from weeping."
Acts 17:11-
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
A thought:
Winning people to Christ is one thing and extremely important. Discipling them is another. Teaching them God's Word and how to study it for themselves and apply it to themselves. Have we neglected to disciple?
O Lord, thank You for those whom You have used to disciple me by word and especially by example!
His bondservant,
Charity
For today I am posting a devotional by A.W. Tozer:
"Today we need people who dare to question the status quo and say, "Wait a minute here. Where do you find this in the Bible?" The idea that all you have to do is to accept Christ and you are in is a great mistake. It leaves people with the impression that if they accept Christ they have no fight to fight, no warfare, no job to do and no temptations. They are just in. When you accept Christ rightly as your Lord and Savior you are in, but to be honest, you have just started to fight. People get converted and we do not tell them that they must fight all the way through to heaven because of the spirit of degeneration and the tendency to deteriorate. They must fight, pray through, suffer it out and live in praise and worship, because if they do not they will deteriorate. Read the history of the Christian church if you can keep your faith and keep from weeping."
Acts 17:11-
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
A thought:
Winning people to Christ is one thing and extremely important. Discipling them is another. Teaching them God's Word and how to study it for themselves and apply it to themselves. Have we neglected to disciple?
O Lord, thank You for those whom You have used to disciple me by word and especially by example!
His bondservant,
Charity
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Obedience or Independence
Hello dear Friends!
I am alive and doing well. My life has just been quite busy for blogging, but I am back :)
I was really encouraged and challenged by today's devotional in "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, and I wanted to share it with you too. I pray that you will be as challenged and encouraged as I was!
John 14:15-
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Our Lord never insists on obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an “If,” meaning, “You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so.” “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .” (Luke 9:23). In other words, “To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me.” Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.
The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.
He deserves our obedience, friends!
All for Him,
Charity
I am alive and doing well. My life has just been quite busy for blogging, but I am back :)
I was really encouraged and challenged by today's devotional in "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, and I wanted to share it with you too. I pray that you will be as challenged and encouraged as I was!
John 14:15-
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Our Lord never insists on obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an “If,” meaning, “You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so.” “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .” (Luke 9:23). In other words, “To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me.” Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.
The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.
He deserves our obedience, friends!
All for Him,
Charity
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tears of the Saints
Dear Friends,
I just saw this video, and oh wow! May our hearts be broken with the things that break the heart of Jesus. Please watch!
Here I am, Lord, send me!
His bondservant,
Charity
Thursday, September 29, 2011
The Consciousness of the Call
Dear Friends,
I was so blessed and encouraged by today's daily devotional from Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost for His Highest" and wanted to share it with you.
May it bless you too!
1 Corinthians 9:16-
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
"We are inclined to forget the deeply spiritual and supernatural touch of God. If you are able to tell exactly where you were when you received the call of God and can explain all about it, I question whether you have truly been called. The call of God does not come like that; it is much more supernatural. The realization of the call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually. But however quickly or slowly this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural—something that is inexpressible and produces a “glow.” At any moment the sudden awareness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life may break through—”I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. You are not called to preach the gospel because you are sanctified; the call to preach the gospel is infinitely different. Paul describes it as a compulsion that was placed upon him.
If you have ignored, and thereby removed, the great supernatural call of God in your life, take a review of your circumstances. See where you have put your own ideas of service or your particular abilities ahead of the call of God. Paul said, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” He had become aware of the call of God, and his compulsion to “preach the gospel” was so strong that nothing else was any longer even a competitor for his strength.
If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony."
May we stay close to His heart and never second-guess His calling in/on our life!
His bondservant,
Charity
I was so blessed and encouraged by today's daily devotional from Oswald Chamber's "My Utmost for His Highest" and wanted to share it with you.
May it bless you too!
1 Corinthians 9:16-
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!
"We are inclined to forget the deeply spiritual and supernatural touch of God. If you are able to tell exactly where you were when you received the call of God and can explain all about it, I question whether you have truly been called. The call of God does not come like that; it is much more supernatural. The realization of the call in a person’s life may come like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually. But however quickly or slowly this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with an undercurrent of the supernatural—something that is inexpressible and produces a “glow.” At any moment the sudden awareness of this incalculable, supernatural, surprising call that has taken hold of your life may break through—”I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. You are not called to preach the gospel because you are sanctified; the call to preach the gospel is infinitely different. Paul describes it as a compulsion that was placed upon him.
If you have ignored, and thereby removed, the great supernatural call of God in your life, take a review of your circumstances. See where you have put your own ideas of service or your particular abilities ahead of the call of God. Paul said, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” He had become aware of the call of God, and his compulsion to “preach the gospel” was so strong that nothing else was any longer even a competitor for his strength.
If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony."
May we stay close to His heart and never second-guess His calling in/on our life!
His bondservant,
Charity
Monday, September 26, 2011
Obsessed
Dear Friends,
I have just finished reading a wonderful book titled "Crazy Love- Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan (which I would HIGHLY recommend to everyone who desires to grow in the their faith). It is a culmination of all that God has been teaching me and asking of me these last few months...
So what's with the title of the post? The reason being is, each of us have obsessions, but how much different would we be and how differently would we live our lives if our obsession was Jesus (this I believe is the prime objective of the book)? There was a chapter (ch 8, in particular) that convicted me the most concerning this question...
Obsessed: To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic
Profile of the obsessed-
People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.
People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some war or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him. (1 John 2:4-6, Matthew 16:24-26)
Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. (Luke 14:25-35, Matthew 7:13-23, 8:18-22, Revelation 3:1-6)
A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough", and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known. (Matthew 5:16)
People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people. (Matthew 13:44, John 15:8)
People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world. (James 2:14-26)
A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity. They are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.
A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.
People who are obsessed are raw with God. They do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God. He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that 40 minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.
A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment. It is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God. (James 1:2-4)
A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Thank you!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God.
How convicting! This has brought me to my knees, because I can honestly say that this does not define my life. But oh how I wish it would!
May we purpose in our hearts as Daniel did, to not defile ourselves with the tainted things of this world and may Jesus become the obsession of our heart through daily intimate communion with Him. Nothing less will do.
Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord,
Charity
I have just finished reading a wonderful book titled "Crazy Love- Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan (which I would HIGHLY recommend to everyone who desires to grow in the their faith). It is a culmination of all that God has been teaching me and asking of me these last few months...
So what's with the title of the post? The reason being is, each of us have obsessions, but how much different would we be and how differently would we live our lives if our obsession was Jesus (this I believe is the prime objective of the book)? There was a chapter (ch 8, in particular) that convicted me the most concerning this question...
Obsessed: To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic
Profile of the obsessed-
People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly, without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.
People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some war or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him. (1 John 2:4-6, Matthew 16:24-26)
Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. (Luke 14:25-35, Matthew 7:13-23, 8:18-22, Revelation 3:1-6)
A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough", and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known. (Matthew 5:16)
People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people. (Matthew 13:44, John 15:8)
People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world. (James 2:14-26)
A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity. They are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.
A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.
People who are obsessed are raw with God. They do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God. He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.
People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that 40 minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.
A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment. It is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God. (James 1:2-4)
A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Thank you!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God.
How convicting! This has brought me to my knees, because I can honestly say that this does not define my life. But oh how I wish it would!
May we purpose in our hearts as Daniel did, to not defile ourselves with the tainted things of this world and may Jesus become the obsession of our heart through daily intimate communion with Him. Nothing less will do.
Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord,
Charity
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Crazy Love
Oh my dear friends,
My heart is overwhelmed when I think about the way we are relentlessly pursued by our Lover, King Jesus.
Oh God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You, my soul thirsts for You, my flesh faints for You as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live, in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise You with joyful lips.
~ Psalm 63: 1-5
"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee. I long to be filled with longing, I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up My love, My fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long."
~ A.W. Tozer
May we fall deeper in love with Jesus,
Charity
Sunday, September 4, 2011
John 17:6
What a beautiful and wonderful Lord's day today is! We are alive, breathing, and spending time with our Saviour...nothing beats that :)
As many of you know, my hearts desire is to be a missionary once I have completed my training to be a Physical Therapist Assistant, well, there is one organization that encourages me to pursue my missionary calling and it is Travel the Road, and here is something from their website that really encouraged me today...I guess it is my missionary heart, but I pray that this blesses you as well:
"A missionary is someone in whom the Holy Spirit has brought about this realization: “You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). To say, “I am not my own,” is to have reached a high point in my spiritual stature. The true nature of that life in actual everyday confusion is evidenced by the deliberate giving up of myself to another Person through a sovereign decision, and that Person is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit interprets and explains the nature of Jesus to me to make me one with my Lord, not that I might simply become a trophy for His showcase. Our Lord never sent any of His disciples out on the basis of what He had done for them. It was not until after the resurrection, when the disciples had perceived through the power of the Holy Spirit who Jesus really was, that He said, “Go” (Matthew 28:19; also see Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8). If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). He was not saying that this person cannot be good and upright, but that he cannot be someone over whom Jesus can write the word Mine. Any one of the relationships our Lord mentions in this verse can compete with our relationship with Him. I may prefer to belong to my mother, or to my wife, or to myself, but if that is the case, then, Jesus said, “[You] cannot be My disciple.” This does not mean that I will not be saved, but it does mean that I cannot be entirely His. Our Lord makes His disciple His very own possession, becoming responsible for him. “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8). The desire that comes into a disciple is not one of doing anything for Jesus, but of being a perfect delight to Him. The missionary’s secret is truly being able to say, “I am His, and He is accomplishing His work and His purposes through me.”
Be entirely His!
Charity
As many of you know, my hearts desire is to be a missionary once I have completed my training to be a Physical Therapist Assistant, well, there is one organization that encourages me to pursue my missionary calling and it is Travel the Road, and here is something from their website that really encouraged me today...I guess it is my missionary heart, but I pray that this blesses you as well:
"A missionary is someone in whom the Holy Spirit has brought about this realization: “You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). To say, “I am not my own,” is to have reached a high point in my spiritual stature. The true nature of that life in actual everyday confusion is evidenced by the deliberate giving up of myself to another Person through a sovereign decision, and that Person is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit interprets and explains the nature of Jesus to me to make me one with my Lord, not that I might simply become a trophy for His showcase. Our Lord never sent any of His disciples out on the basis of what He had done for them. It was not until after the resurrection, when the disciples had perceived through the power of the Holy Spirit who Jesus really was, that He said, “Go” (Matthew 28:19; also see Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8). If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). He was not saying that this person cannot be good and upright, but that he cannot be someone over whom Jesus can write the word Mine. Any one of the relationships our Lord mentions in this verse can compete with our relationship with Him. I may prefer to belong to my mother, or to my wife, or to myself, but if that is the case, then, Jesus said, “[You] cannot be My disciple.” This does not mean that I will not be saved, but it does mean that I cannot be entirely His. Our Lord makes His disciple His very own possession, becoming responsible for him. “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8). The desire that comes into a disciple is not one of doing anything for Jesus, but of being a perfect delight to Him. The missionary’s secret is truly being able to say, “I am His, and He is accomplishing His work and His purposes through me.”
Be entirely His!
Charity
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Another Graduation, therefore Congratulations are in Order!
Well, as you know, Joshua graduated from army basic training in July, his twin brother (but yes of course, my dear brother too) Jacob has graduated as well! After a very trying and grueling 9 weeks, he has come through, and we are extremely proud of him! Poor thing, for a while he was on crutches, because of various things, but I love how his spirit stayed strong to the end and that he has finally made it. So now he is stationed at Fort Leonardwood in Missouri. Just continue to keep him in your prayers.
Much love in Christ,
Charity
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Learning to Thrive at College
Dear Friends,
As some of us consider college and such, we need to look at our motives for why we want to go...to have fun? Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord? Flirt? Take a look at your motives as you prepare for this time in your life.
This blog post from desiringgod.org sums up absolutely everything I believe is true about this season in our life:
College should be a temporary season of academic preparation and personal growth to propel a lifetime of effective service to God and neighbor. It should be a launching pad into all that goes with responsible Christian adulthood. Yet for some, it’s a time when they abandon the Christian faith, displaying that they never really belonged to Christ (1 John 2:19). For others, their faith remains intact, but they waste their college lives with video games, partying, and other frivolities—an expensive vacation funded by Mom, Dad, and debilitating student loans.
Today, seven out of ten high school graduates immediately go on to college, but about 30% will never become sophomores, and about 50% will not have graduated even six years later.1 Many who do graduate move right back home with their parents, assuming little responsibility and armed with little ambition for Christ.
Thrive at College
I’m convinced that you should not just survive college but thrive at college. Don’t just maintain your faith, but really come to own it — growing thick, strong roots (1 Timothy 4:12). Don’t just squeak by classes with as little effort as possible, but strive to discover your calling — what God uniquely wired you to do — and to love God with all your mind by giving it your very best (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Socially, college is a season for making life-long friendships — not just the kind you have a great time with (good as that is) but the kind that spur you on to love, trust, and follow God. Pursue relationships that help you put away childishness, grow in maturity, increasingly make wise choices, and “expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.” And who knows? Maybe one of these friends will become a fabulous husband or wife.
College is a time for assuming responsibility, for becoming a disciplined steward of time and money, for recognizing that recreation is a gift of God to be enjoyed in measure but never to dominate our lives. Rather, when properly pursued, recreation empowers us for our work rather than distracting us from our work.
As a student, remember that your work is learning (studying) so that you can, for a lifetime, increasingly love God with a well-trained mind, a mind that can identify key questions, pursue understanding, dissect arguments, discover logical fallacies, and communicate effectively.
Be Trained to Make a Difference
College is an opportunity to get the training you need to make a difference in the world — by becoming a business person, an engineer, a doctor, a teacher, a historian, a physical therapist, a husband, a wife, a parent, who sees God’s lordship extending to every area of life and every corner of the globe.
It’s a time to take the gifts God has given you and develop them into finely-tuned skills — the kind that can really serve and benefit other people (some of whom may even pay you). It’s a time to become a man or woman with unshakable character and faithfulness — the kind that can be given increasing areas of responsibility, and who can eventually rise to leadership. It’s a time to honor all that your parents did for you by learning to own your decisions, even your mistakes, as you embrace a full-orbed, God-dependent adulthood
This post taken from John Piper's ministry desiringgod.org
So spend some time in prayer before you endeavor on the journey through college.
God bless!
Forever in Him,
Charity
As some of us consider college and such, we need to look at our motives for why we want to go...to have fun? Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord? Flirt? Take a look at your motives as you prepare for this time in your life.
This blog post from desiringgod.org sums up absolutely everything I believe is true about this season in our life:
College should be a temporary season of academic preparation and personal growth to propel a lifetime of effective service to God and neighbor. It should be a launching pad into all that goes with responsible Christian adulthood. Yet for some, it’s a time when they abandon the Christian faith, displaying that they never really belonged to Christ (1 John 2:19). For others, their faith remains intact, but they waste their college lives with video games, partying, and other frivolities—an expensive vacation funded by Mom, Dad, and debilitating student loans.
Today, seven out of ten high school graduates immediately go on to college, but about 30% will never become sophomores, and about 50% will not have graduated even six years later.1 Many who do graduate move right back home with their parents, assuming little responsibility and armed with little ambition for Christ.
Thrive at College
I’m convinced that you should not just survive college but thrive at college. Don’t just maintain your faith, but really come to own it — growing thick, strong roots (1 Timothy 4:12). Don’t just squeak by classes with as little effort as possible, but strive to discover your calling — what God uniquely wired you to do — and to love God with all your mind by giving it your very best (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
Socially, college is a season for making life-long friendships — not just the kind you have a great time with (good as that is) but the kind that spur you on to love, trust, and follow God. Pursue relationships that help you put away childishness, grow in maturity, increasingly make wise choices, and “expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.” And who knows? Maybe one of these friends will become a fabulous husband or wife.
College is a time for assuming responsibility, for becoming a disciplined steward of time and money, for recognizing that recreation is a gift of God to be enjoyed in measure but never to dominate our lives. Rather, when properly pursued, recreation empowers us for our work rather than distracting us from our work.
As a student, remember that your work is learning (studying) so that you can, for a lifetime, increasingly love God with a well-trained mind, a mind that can identify key questions, pursue understanding, dissect arguments, discover logical fallacies, and communicate effectively.
Be Trained to Make a Difference
College is an opportunity to get the training you need to make a difference in the world — by becoming a business person, an engineer, a doctor, a teacher, a historian, a physical therapist, a husband, a wife, a parent, who sees God’s lordship extending to every area of life and every corner of the globe.
It’s a time to take the gifts God has given you and develop them into finely-tuned skills — the kind that can really serve and benefit other people (some of whom may even pay you). It’s a time to become a man or woman with unshakable character and faithfulness — the kind that can be given increasing areas of responsibility, and who can eventually rise to leadership. It’s a time to honor all that your parents did for you by learning to own your decisions, even your mistakes, as you embrace a full-orbed, God-dependent adulthood
This post taken from John Piper's ministry desiringgod.org
So spend some time in prayer before you endeavor on the journey through college.
God bless!
Forever in Him,
Charity
Monday, July 18, 2011
Congratulations PV3 Robbins!
July 7th was a day of great rejoicing in our family. My brother Josh became a soldier of the US Army! The 9 weeks at basic was challenging, but it has made him into a better man, and I can't even express how proud of him I am! On the 6th we had family day at Fort Jackson and spent the whole day with our soldier, which was a treat.
Here are some photos from the day:
Forever in Him,
Charity
Saturday, July 2, 2011
God is Faithful
Dear Friends,
I just want to testify of the faithfulness of our amazing Savior.
For the past week, I've been feeling so numb to everything around me and so disconnected to reality, that I had no joy, no nothing in my life (at least I felt like it) and yesterday, all of a sudden a great burden was lifted of my shoulders and I was free! I had been praying that whatever was holding me under would be released. And it was! Oh how great is His love!
There its still so much that my Jesus is showing and teaching me. A lot of sin has been "gurgling" up in my life, and it breaks my heart because I know it is breaking His, but I'm excited about being changed by His grace day by day, and falling ever deeper in love with Him, and continually pursuing a lifestyle of set apart femininity in this dark world.
Only and forever His,
Charity
Monday, June 27, 2011
Drama, drama!
Dear Friends,
Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted and boy, do I have a lot to say!
First- couple weeks back we got a phone call from my grandma (affectionately known as GG) that she has cancer. We were beside ourselves because GG is one of the healthiest and strongest women we know! So she took a week off to go to Minnesota to visit my uncle and his two beautiful children. Couple days later we put her on a plane to come here to Virginia and have an appointment at Danville Regional. God, being the wonderful God that He is, had already planned a couple of things for GG's benefit. Mom had emailed a surgeon that we know here in town for recommendations and he emailed back a few hours later with a marvelous recommendation for a GYN that he himself had done surgery with. So we cancelled GG's appointment at Danville Regional and made one here at Carilion (which is 10 whole minutes from our house!) At her appointment, the doctor said that they treat a ton of her conditions a year, and that 75% of all the cases were curable by surgery. What an encouragement to us! GG had her surgery June 24, and the doctor found more cancer cells than were expected. Saturday was an awful day for her, she was feeling so nauseated and so sick. She came home yesterday morning and has been resting a lot, we believe that she is very well on her way to recovery, for which we are so grateful for.
Second- Last week our horses broke some of the fencing and got into the grain. Our thoroughbred Chance, became very sick. We were up late that night checking on him and making sure that the banamine was taking affect.
The most sad thing happened yesterday, one of our horses died. It happened and we are heartbroken. Prelude, who was born on our farm and, was such a loving and sweet horse. She had given birth to a little colt while we were in New Zealand this May. She died last night after the vet came out. Her temperature was at 107 degrees, which is not normal for a horse. But she was strong and tried to hold on as long as she could. I will miss my little Pre-Pre :(
Third- Today has been full of drama too. Prelude's colt, Diego, was sick today, had to get the vet out for him. The diagnosis was salmonella, which was passed on from his mom, Prelude. He had a wee little temperature, but nothing major and nothing antibiotics won't take care of. So now we have to bottle feed him for a while, and then wean him. So that is that. Then, our puppy Ciara, got stuck under our kitchen cabinets and about broke her neck! We were screaming and trying to help her wiggle her way out, which she did, but oh my, what a scare!
Phew! Sometimes the drama just has to stop! lol :)
But through everything that has been going on, God has been so faithful to us. I can't really explain it, but its like in every situation, no matter how hard it may be or has been, He is and has given us a peace that passes all understanding, and it is like, no matter what happens or has happened, He has everything under control. It humbles me. And I am constantly in awe of my Savior.
His bondservant,
Charity
Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted and boy, do I have a lot to say!
First- couple weeks back we got a phone call from my grandma (affectionately known as GG) that she has cancer. We were beside ourselves because GG is one of the healthiest and strongest women we know! So she took a week off to go to Minnesota to visit my uncle and his two beautiful children. Couple days later we put her on a plane to come here to Virginia and have an appointment at Danville Regional. God, being the wonderful God that He is, had already planned a couple of things for GG's benefit. Mom had emailed a surgeon that we know here in town for recommendations and he emailed back a few hours later with a marvelous recommendation for a GYN that he himself had done surgery with. So we cancelled GG's appointment at Danville Regional and made one here at Carilion (which is 10 whole minutes from our house!) At her appointment, the doctor said that they treat a ton of her conditions a year, and that 75% of all the cases were curable by surgery. What an encouragement to us! GG had her surgery June 24, and the doctor found more cancer cells than were expected. Saturday was an awful day for her, she was feeling so nauseated and so sick. She came home yesterday morning and has been resting a lot, we believe that she is very well on her way to recovery, for which we are so grateful for.
Second- Last week our horses broke some of the fencing and got into the grain. Our thoroughbred Chance, became very sick. We were up late that night checking on him and making sure that the banamine was taking affect.
The most sad thing happened yesterday, one of our horses died. It happened and we are heartbroken. Prelude, who was born on our farm and, was such a loving and sweet horse. She had given birth to a little colt while we were in New Zealand this May. She died last night after the vet came out. Her temperature was at 107 degrees, which is not normal for a horse. But she was strong and tried to hold on as long as she could. I will miss my little Pre-Pre :(
Third- Today has been full of drama too. Prelude's colt, Diego, was sick today, had to get the vet out for him. The diagnosis was salmonella, which was passed on from his mom, Prelude. He had a wee little temperature, but nothing major and nothing antibiotics won't take care of. So now we have to bottle feed him for a while, and then wean him. So that is that. Then, our puppy Ciara, got stuck under our kitchen cabinets and about broke her neck! We were screaming and trying to help her wiggle her way out, which she did, but oh my, what a scare!
Phew! Sometimes the drama just has to stop! lol :)
But through everything that has been going on, God has been so faithful to us. I can't really explain it, but its like in every situation, no matter how hard it may be or has been, He is and has given us a peace that passes all understanding, and it is like, no matter what happens or has happened, He has everything under control. It humbles me. And I am constantly in awe of my Savior.
His bondservant,
Charity
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Don’t Make Jesus More of a Mediator Than He Is - Online Bible Study Tools
Dear Friends,
Be sure to check out this wonderful article by one of my favorite bible teachers, John Piper! Oh my word...
His bondservant,
Charity
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
A Pure Woman Stewards Her Body
1 John 2:16,17
For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions, is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
If we misuse our femininity for selfish gain, we are going to wind up frustrated because all worldly pursuits will eventually come to nothing, not only in eternity, but now, in our own lives.
God has made us perfect just the way we are, I like Johnny Diaz's song called "a more beautiful you"...it really speaks to women of any age about how God has made us to be exactly who we are, and that there can never be a more beautiful "you". We must also remember proverbs 31: 30, which says that "charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." The fear of the Lord in our lives is what makes our worth far greater than rubies. He alone is worthy of all our worship, and we need not bow down before the alter of physical beauty, but just thank God for who we are. The only thing is, we sometime use this excuse to not look our best, we sometime take it so far as to say we aren't going to dress nice because God has already made us beautiful...no...that's where our call to steward our bodies comes into play...
Don't ever forget that you and me are beauty beyond compare and no mirror will and can ever define us.
His bondservant,
Charity
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
New Puppy
Dear friends,
I think that a puppy has to be one of God's most wonderful creations! And guess what?! We just got a new puppy! We haven't named her yet, so if you have any good ideas, comment and let me know.
Stand strong in Him!
Only in Him,
Charity
I think that a puppy has to be one of God's most wonderful creations! And guess what?! We just got a new puppy! We haven't named her yet, so if you have any good ideas, comment and let me know.
Stand strong in Him!
Only in Him,
Charity
Monday, May 23, 2011
Back Home
Dear Friends,
SOOO...I have so much to say and so much to tell about all that has happened and all that I have seen over the past 2 weeks, but I am afraid that I won't be able to do it on one blog post in a time span of 15 minutes. But I better say as much as I can :)
We are back from New Zealand and the jet lag is finally beginning to set in.
It was such an amazing trip! I felt so close to God's heart while I was there. There was no TV, no internet, no phone calls, no socializing, but just God, my Bible, family, and my ipod, (but hey, if I just had my Bible and God, I'd be set anywhere! :D) the icing on the cake was being surrounded by majesty at each turn of my head.
I wish I could post pictures, but once again, I am unable to do that...soon though, VERY soon!
I don't know how to explain this, but, I get so caught up in the drama of life that so many times I fail to hear God's voice which mostly comes in a whisper, but while I was in New Zealand, I was able to hear His voice loud and clear, literally screaming, "I love you!" "Don't you see, you are so precious to me?" "All this beauty is for you!" I love the way He captures and romances us through the beauty of His creation that is meant for us. Every little flower, every majestic mountain, every arid/lush valley, is a token of love from the Lover of our Souls. Isn't He so good and so amazing?!
I am sorry, I must be cinderella, the clock has struck 12 and I must leave.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might dear friends!
Forever in Him,
Charity
SOOO...I have so much to say and so much to tell about all that has happened and all that I have seen over the past 2 weeks, but I am afraid that I won't be able to do it on one blog post in a time span of 15 minutes. But I better say as much as I can :)
We are back from New Zealand and the jet lag is finally beginning to set in.
It was such an amazing trip! I felt so close to God's heart while I was there. There was no TV, no internet, no phone calls, no socializing, but just God, my Bible, family, and my ipod, (but hey, if I just had my Bible and God, I'd be set anywhere! :D) the icing on the cake was being surrounded by majesty at each turn of my head.
I wish I could post pictures, but once again, I am unable to do that...soon though, VERY soon!
I don't know how to explain this, but, I get so caught up in the drama of life that so many times I fail to hear God's voice which mostly comes in a whisper, but while I was in New Zealand, I was able to hear His voice loud and clear, literally screaming, "I love you!" "Don't you see, you are so precious to me?" "All this beauty is for you!" I love the way He captures and romances us through the beauty of His creation that is meant for us. Every little flower, every majestic mountain, every arid/lush valley, is a token of love from the Lover of our Souls. Isn't He so good and so amazing?!
I am sorry, I must be cinderella, the clock has struck 12 and I must leave.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might dear friends!
Forever in Him,
Charity
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Lovely Greetings from New Zealand!
Dear Friends,
Greetings from the land down under...New Zealand! We have been here for 3 days, and have done so much!
The flight from Raleigh to Los Angeles was pretty uneventful except that we almost missed our flight... :) From Los Angeles to Auckland was quite uneventful too. Well, besides the fact that we were in the plane for 13.5 hours! It was a very comfortable ride, nonetheless.
Once in Auckland, we managed to get a rental car and tried to make our way to our hotel. Now Auckland is New Zealands' largest city and you absolutely don't want to get lost there. Guess what happened to us? We basically got lost! But hey, we got a wonderful tour of the city :) The rest of that evening was just jolly, filled with quite time, nap, and dinner.
Yesterday we took a 12 hour train ride from Auckland to Wellington. We went along some beautiful countryside and took many pictures, but unfortunately, don't have the means to upload them just yet. It was an amazing experience, and such fun, seeing that it was my very first train ride. So we arrived in Wellington about 8ish and attempted to find our hotel, which we did. The dinner hunt began...we walked for what seemed forever looking for a place that was open to grab something to eat, but to no avail. We ended up having a gourmet meal from McDonald's. :)
So today was an activity filled day. We walked all about the city, walked on the wharf, took a tour of Parliment, went on the Cable Car, and then went to the Te Papa museum. All in a short 5 hours.
So now is time for winding down...I will post updates along with pictures very soon.
God bless!
Cheers,
Charity
Greetings from the land down under...New Zealand! We have been here for 3 days, and have done so much!
The flight from Raleigh to Los Angeles was pretty uneventful except that we almost missed our flight... :) From Los Angeles to Auckland was quite uneventful too. Well, besides the fact that we were in the plane for 13.5 hours! It was a very comfortable ride, nonetheless.
Once in Auckland, we managed to get a rental car and tried to make our way to our hotel. Now Auckland is New Zealands' largest city and you absolutely don't want to get lost there. Guess what happened to us? We basically got lost! But hey, we got a wonderful tour of the city :) The rest of that evening was just jolly, filled with quite time, nap, and dinner.
Yesterday we took a 12 hour train ride from Auckland to Wellington. We went along some beautiful countryside and took many pictures, but unfortunately, don't have the means to upload them just yet. It was an amazing experience, and such fun, seeing that it was my very first train ride. So we arrived in Wellington about 8ish and attempted to find our hotel, which we did. The dinner hunt began...we walked for what seemed forever looking for a place that was open to grab something to eat, but to no avail. We ended up having a gourmet meal from McDonald's. :)
So today was an activity filled day. We walked all about the city, walked on the wharf, took a tour of Parliment, went on the Cable Car, and then went to the Te Papa museum. All in a short 5 hours.
So now is time for winding down...I will post updates along with pictures very soon.
God bless!
Cheers,
Charity
Monday, May 2, 2011
My Life Thus Far, Part 2
Hello friends!
Well, I am continuing/finishing my post on "My Life Thus Far" as promised, I have not forgotten :)
The last weekend of March was a special weekend for Faith and I because we got to spend the weekend with our wonderful father at the beautiful Callaway Gardens in Georgia for the Vision Forum Father and Daughter Retreat. It was a treat to also be with our best friends the Edmondsons during the duration of the weekend, and fathers and daughters from church!
It was a time of spiritual refreshing and bonding with dad. We had so much fun hanging out and reconnecting with dad. We got an overdose of wonderful teaching (not a bad thing at all!), got to have high tea, did a few photo shoots, watched a hailstorm, and had so much fun being together.
We had talks on adventurous femininity, what a good young man is looking for in wife, the role of daughters in the home, protecting the daughter, and so much more! I plan on doing separate posts on the details of the messages we heard there.
The best thing about the weekend for me was, besides getting to knowing Jesus yet even more, was the time God allowed us to spend with dad. I treasure every single moment of these times.
It was absolutely gorgeous there, and I was blessed by how many fathers and daughters were there!
It was so great to be together and spend the time with dad! We had an absolute blast playing out on the lawn and enjoying the beautiful day.
The high tea was...yummy :) Though I have to admit, I was really hoping for more food and I had gotten excited about having scones with devonshire cream and crumpets, but alas, my hopes were dashed and we ended up not having those.
We enjoyed dressing up and taking these photos.
So we had some crazy weather while we were there. It hailed badly and rained hard...
Well, I am continuing/finishing my post on "My Life Thus Far" as promised, I have not forgotten :)
The last weekend of March was a special weekend for Faith and I because we got to spend the weekend with our wonderful father at the beautiful Callaway Gardens in Georgia for the Vision Forum Father and Daughter Retreat. It was a treat to also be with our best friends the Edmondsons during the duration of the weekend, and fathers and daughters from church!
It was a time of spiritual refreshing and bonding with dad. We had so much fun hanging out and reconnecting with dad. We got an overdose of wonderful teaching (not a bad thing at all!), got to have high tea, did a few photo shoots, watched a hailstorm, and had so much fun being together.
We had talks on adventurous femininity, what a good young man is looking for in wife, the role of daughters in the home, protecting the daughter, and so much more! I plan on doing separate posts on the details of the messages we heard there.
The best thing about the weekend for me was, besides getting to knowing Jesus yet even more, was the time God allowed us to spend with dad. I treasure every single moment of these times.
It was absolutely gorgeous there, and I was blessed by how many fathers and daughters were there!
It was so great to be together and spend the time with dad! We had an absolute blast playing out on the lawn and enjoying the beautiful day.
The high tea was...yummy :) Though I have to admit, I was really hoping for more food and I had gotten excited about having scones with devonshire cream and crumpets, but alas, my hopes were dashed and we ended up not having those.
We enjoyed dressing up and taking these photos.
So we had some crazy weather while we were there. It hailed badly and rained hard...
Faith and I had fun posing and taking these pictures:
And then just a few random pictures Faith and I took to say "hey" :)
I did some photographic shoots of the area and love to take pictures of nature in general, so this is the website where you can find all my works: Beauty Rising
p.s. the site is still in the works :)
The funny thing is, there has been so much more change in my life thus far...I guess that is why I blog, I will never get caught up on my life thus far, because it is forever changing.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you,
Charity
~Isaiah 28:6
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Laminin
Dear Friends,
As I was studying for an Anatomy and Physiology exam tonight, God reminded me of something quite spectacular. A tiny cell adhesion molecule (protein, really) called laminin. I'm sure you have seen it, but Jesus was so sweet to remind me of it in the midst of this stressful week called "finals" and I wanted to hopefully encourage you as well :) This protein is so incredible, and frankly, my brain is so fried I don't want to go into all the science of it, but just look and see it:
How incredible?! I am amazed at the fact that the God who created this universe is LITERALLY holding you and me together!!! My mind is blown away and my passion for Jesus grows every time I see a picture of it. It leaves me feeling so humbled, for certain but intensely loved.
I pray that each and every one of you will feel His nearness this week.
Psalm 139:13-16
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Oh Lord, thank you for Your nearness!
His bondservant,
Charity
p.s. Pt. 2 of "My Life thus Far" will soon be posted :)
As I was studying for an Anatomy and Physiology exam tonight, God reminded me of something quite spectacular. A tiny cell adhesion molecule (protein, really) called laminin. I'm sure you have seen it, but Jesus was so sweet to remind me of it in the midst of this stressful week called "finals" and I wanted to hopefully encourage you as well :) This protein is so incredible, and frankly, my brain is so fried I don't want to go into all the science of it, but just look and see it:
How incredible?! I am amazed at the fact that the God who created this universe is LITERALLY holding you and me together!!! My mind is blown away and my passion for Jesus grows every time I see a picture of it. It leaves me feeling so humbled, for certain but intensely loved.
I pray that each and every one of you will feel His nearness this week.
Psalm 139:13-16
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
Oh Lord, thank you for Your nearness!
His bondservant,
Charity
p.s. Pt. 2 of "My Life thus Far" will soon be posted :)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
My Life Thus Far, Part 1
Dear Friends,
So much has happened over the past few weeks, that I don't even know how to bring you up to date on all that has been going on in my life lately! :) One thing is certain, God has been so good and faithful to me. Truth be told, I have such an insatiable desire for Christ that is being filled daily in ways that only He can. I'm not saying that I have been spending time with Christ like crazy over the past few weeks (quite the opposite, I must admit!) but in the midst of my busyness, God has been meeting me right where I am. I am saying this as a testimony to our God!
So, first things first. I promised pictures from my spring break to NM/TX, and here they are:
While we were there, we got a chance to visit with cousins and there adorable children...
So much has happened over the past few weeks, that I don't even know how to bring you up to date on all that has been going on in my life lately! :) One thing is certain, God has been so good and faithful to me. Truth be told, I have such an insatiable desire for Christ that is being filled daily in ways that only He can. I'm not saying that I have been spending time with Christ like crazy over the past few weeks (quite the opposite, I must admit!) but in the midst of my busyness, God has been meeting me right where I am. I am saying this as a testimony to our God!
So, first things first. I promised pictures from my spring break to NM/TX, and here they are:
 |
Couple of aerial views of our flight from Denver to Albuquerque
While we were there, we got a chance to visit with cousins and there adorable children...
My precious little nephew, Reilly!
One thing that we really like to do is go to concerts. Hope, Jacob, Faith, and I recently had the privilege of going to see the bands Downhere and Rush of Fools.
Unfortunately, the time is late and I must bid farewell. Be sure to check back soon for pictures/videos of the concert and a continued update of my life thus far...PART 2!!
To God alone be the glory,
Charity
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
