I was reading on John Pipers website today a talk called "Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of God."
I really think it hits home that God is sovereign, and the only stable thing in this world. The only One we can put our trust in. For me right now, He is calling me to a place of deep trust, of finding joy even when my agenda and goals arent met. And more than that, reading this helps me cope with death.
It is getting to be about a year anniversary that one of my best and dearest friends died. Almost a year ago, Jessica Pety died in a car accident as she was in training to be a missionary and was with a team preparing for what God had called her to. To this day, I don't think I have fully comprehended that she is gone, I find myself expecting to see her again- and I will, just not in my lifetime on earth. It has been one of the hardest things to trust God with, and I still ask why. So, through the healing process, this sermon has been good for me to read. I confess that Im frightened and terrified of death, and i know that I shouldnt be, but I am.
Piper uses Romans 8:35-39-
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And, a woman who has lost her husband in 9/11 shares how the Lord has been and is her stronghold, and gives 10 lessons.
I want to type them briefly, but read it to get a more personal taste-
1..Embracing the sovereignty of God brings strength and hope.
2. Don’t presume to know better than God how to run the world. It is pride.
3. God has a good purpose in all the hard things that happen to his people.
4. Death and suffering press in on us the perspective of eternity.
5. God’s distribution of suffering is not equal, and one hard thing may prepare for another.
6. God’s love takes care of us right now in our suffering, not just later.
7. Calamity calls for quick practical love like meals and baby sitting.
8. Quiet, confidence in God’s power and goodness through suffering create occasions for witness.
9. Trusting in God’s sovereign care in all circumstances frees you from greed and releases love for others.
10. Without God the world is hopeless.
read or listen to it at -http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2002/103_Nothing_Can_Separate_Us_from_the_Love_of_Christ/
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
updates
well, i wanted to write a little update while i have a few minutes! If you read this blog, then youre probably pretty connected with me and my ministry, so I am going to talk a little bit about support raising
So, since the holidays, with the help of my support coach, Abbye ( on staff at pc and one of my good friends), and my sister, we devised a more realistic plan of action. I have to confess that after the dc conference, I was very overwhelmed about raising my funds. But, as many people have encouraged me, are supporting me, and like Mary Beth, one of my roomies said to me, God is teaching me alot THROUGH the process of support raising. And He is. Teaching me alot about who I am, that He is who He says He is, sovereign above all, worthy of my trust, worthy of my whole life. So if you want to pray for me, please pray that I would continue to seek Him, that He would show me areas of my life that I dont want to give over, that I would trust and learn and grow in this process of support raising. I am at abou 35 % pledged, so thats kinda far from 100%. If you know me, you know Im a glass have empty perspective, so, Im going to be an optimist and say, thats not too close to 0%!! I am so so thankful for all of my loving, encouraging, and faithful supporters. It delights my heart and gives me strength to have a team of people praying and partnering with me!
Well, alot of my time recently has been spent with my sister, emily, helping plan her wedding!! She will be married April 18th to a wonderful guy named Jake McCoun! He is also on staff with Campus outreach laboring at Presbyterian college- so, once I go full time, emily and i will be co workers throuugh Campus outreach greenville!!! (it is made up of Furman, Wofford, presbyterian, and Western carolina!) How amazing is it that God has provided this for us? I dont usually write about this stuff, but yes, it has been a bit hard for me being the "single" twin. emily and I have always done things together at the exact same time, etc. But not this time! I am more excited and thankful for God providing Jake and know for sure that there isnt someone else for her. And, I honestly do trust God has a plan for my life, as He has shown and continues to show, and it may or may not include marriage.
So, here are some verses that you can join with me in praying-
Proverbs 16:3
"commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed."
Matt 6:33-34
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough worries of its own. "
also, if you read this, please continue to pray for my girls- Furman seniors Jaycelyn, Stephanie, and Laura. We are studying the Psalms this term through a cool book called Encountering God. Pray that we would all spend time with Him each day, and that we would grow in understanding of who God is , and who we are as Christians. I love the time I spend with them, and cannot wait to make disciples!! Mary beth loaned me her book called "The Lost Art of Disciple Making" and it was so so so good. :)
So, since the holidays, with the help of my support coach, Abbye ( on staff at pc and one of my good friends), and my sister, we devised a more realistic plan of action. I have to confess that after the dc conference, I was very overwhelmed about raising my funds. But, as many people have encouraged me, are supporting me, and like Mary Beth, one of my roomies said to me, God is teaching me alot THROUGH the process of support raising. And He is. Teaching me alot about who I am, that He is who He says He is, sovereign above all, worthy of my trust, worthy of my whole life. So if you want to pray for me, please pray that I would continue to seek Him, that He would show me areas of my life that I dont want to give over, that I would trust and learn and grow in this process of support raising. I am at abou 35 % pledged, so thats kinda far from 100%. If you know me, you know Im a glass have empty perspective, so, Im going to be an optimist and say, thats not too close to 0%!! I am so so thankful for all of my loving, encouraging, and faithful supporters. It delights my heart and gives me strength to have a team of people praying and partnering with me!
Well, alot of my time recently has been spent with my sister, emily, helping plan her wedding!! She will be married April 18th to a wonderful guy named Jake McCoun! He is also on staff with Campus outreach laboring at Presbyterian college- so, once I go full time, emily and i will be co workers throuugh Campus outreach greenville!!! (it is made up of Furman, Wofford, presbyterian, and Western carolina!) How amazing is it that God has provided this for us? I dont usually write about this stuff, but yes, it has been a bit hard for me being the "single" twin. emily and I have always done things together at the exact same time, etc. But not this time! I am more excited and thankful for God providing Jake and know for sure that there isnt someone else for her. And, I honestly do trust God has a plan for my life, as He has shown and continues to show, and it may or may not include marriage.
So, here are some verses that you can join with me in praying-
Proverbs 16:3
"commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed."
Matt 6:33-34
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough worries of its own. "
also, if you read this, please continue to pray for my girls- Furman seniors Jaycelyn, Stephanie, and Laura. We are studying the Psalms this term through a cool book called Encountering God. Pray that we would all spend time with Him each day, and that we would grow in understanding of who God is , and who we are as Christians. I love the time I spend with them, and cannot wait to make disciples!! Mary beth loaned me her book called "The Lost Art of Disciple Making" and it was so so so good. :)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
prayer
Recently, God has been teaching me alot about prayer, especially about my dependence on Him through prayer and strengthening my faith in Him in devotion to prayer. Please pray that I would pray daily and set apart times to pray! Here are some really cool things on prayer that John Piper (desiringgod.org) says-
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1566_9_ways_to_pray_for_your_soul/
9 Ways to Pray for Your SoulJanuary 2, 2009 By: John Piper Category: Commentary
Here are some ways to pray for yourself so that you're praying in sync with the way God works.
1. For the desire of my heart to be toward God and his Word.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain. (Psalm 119:36)
2. For the eyes of my heart to be opened.
Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law. (Psalm 119:18)
3. For my heart to be enlightened with these “wonders.”
[I pray] that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. (Ephesians 1:18)
4. For my heart to be united, not divided, for God.
O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. (Psalm 86:11)
5. For my heart to be satisfied with God and not with the world.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:14)
6. For strength in this joy, and endurance during the dark seasons.
[I pray that God] would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man. (Ephesians 3:16)
7. For visible good deeds and works of love to others.
[I pray that you] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord...bearing fruit in every good work. (Colossians 1:10)
8. For God to be glorified.
Hallowed be thy name. (Matthew 6:9)
9. In Jesus’ name.
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? (Romans 8:32)
also, if you have time, listen to or read this sermon-http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2008/3468_Put_in_the_Fire_for_the_Sake_of_Prayer/
:)
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1566_9_ways_to_pray_for_your_soul/
9 Ways to Pray for Your SoulJanuary 2, 2009 By: John Piper Category: Commentary
Here are some ways to pray for yourself so that you're praying in sync with the way God works.
1. For the desire of my heart to be toward God and his Word.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain. (Psalm 119:36)
2. For the eyes of my heart to be opened.
Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law. (Psalm 119:18)
3. For my heart to be enlightened with these “wonders.”
[I pray] that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. (Ephesians 1:18)
4. For my heart to be united, not divided, for God.
O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. (Psalm 86:11)
5. For my heart to be satisfied with God and not with the world.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:14)
6. For strength in this joy, and endurance during the dark seasons.
[I pray that God] would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man. (Ephesians 3:16)
7. For visible good deeds and works of love to others.
[I pray that you] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord...bearing fruit in every good work. (Colossians 1:10)
8. For God to be glorified.
Hallowed be thy name. (Matthew 6:9)
9. In Jesus’ name.
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? (Romans 8:32)
also, if you have time, listen to or read this sermon-http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2008/3468_Put_in_the_Fire_for_the_Sake_of_Prayer/
:)
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Recent Pics!
The engaged couple on New Years!
Me, Brittni, & Christine (plus Josh)- our CCP running crew!
Me & the girls in DC! We are captain planet & the planeteers!
Free day in DC! About to get on the metro :)
Long Overdue Update!
Wow, I have neglected to update my blog for some time now! Hopefully, if youre a supporter of me or close friend, you've received my update emails or talked to me in person!
Well, as I last wrote just before thanksgiving, I suppose I havent written that Emily is ENGAGED! It's a funny thing, because I prayed (along with alot of her other girlfriends) diligently that Jake would ask her to marry him by Thanksgiving. Thats honestly what I prayed daily for her, as her life in Spartanburg and away from Jake is just not where her heart is, and she needed that freedom to have the official title that reflected where her heart was with Jake. So, all that to say, the DAY BEFORE Thanksgiving, Jake asked her!!! They will be married in Forest City, NC (basically our home town) on April 18, 2009. I am so so excited for them- I have prayed for Emily and Jake since the summer of 2006, when they first met on Campus Outreach's summer beach project! He is also on staff with Campus Outreach, and ministers to students at Presbyterian college. I could not have hand picked someone better for her, but then again, God hand picked Jake, so thats way better than me doing the picking, lets be honest!
That might give you some insight into what I've been up to this holiday season- of course, meeting with as many people I can to share my ministry vision with them and raise up a team of supporters, begin planning Emilys wedding (yes, Kasey and I are the maids of honor!), working still at atlanta bread company part time, and actively seeking the Lord.
Over the past month, I have really enjoyed all the festivities that go along with Christmas, especially time with my family. Every year, we all go to Winston Salem to the Candle Tea (a Moravian Love Feast and tour at Old Salem), and the Nutcracker Ballet! We've been going since Emily and I were about 4 years old, and I still love it just as much as I first did! One other highlight at Christmas is attending the Christmas Eve service at church- it really reminds me of why we even celebrate Christmas, and helps me to worship Christ in my heart at Christmas. So often Christmas is simply all about the presents and the family time and everything colorful and beautiful and sweet tasting that we forget who and what the celebration is all about, and why we even have reason to celebrate.
This past week, I was able to travel to Washington, DC with Campus Outreach for the annual New Years Conference. This was the first time it was held in DC (it has traditionally been held in Atlanta for our region), but about 500 college students from Furman, Wofford, Presbyterian, Western Carolina, Virginia Tech, Radford Univ, Davidson, Elon, UNC-C, UNC-G, and Wingate crammed into the DoubleTree Hotel to learn more about God, and to explore what it means to be Legendary. The theme of the conference was LEGENDARY, which is truly relevant for this generation of college students-how do we view life, do we think about what we will leave behind when we die? How can we live now that will have an eternal impact? What does the reality of eternity mean for us?
I had one of the best weeks of the entire year there- although it was by far the most tiring, not only did God reveal so much about my own heart to me, but I was able to minister and give my life away the entire week. It confirmed in my heart once again, what God has called me to do with my life- give it away to college students, to become all things to all people that they might know more about the One who has given His life to save us! I lead 3 senior furman girls, and 2 of them were there, along with 2 freshman that I have been spending some time with! ! I cannot tell you how many doors and barriers that were broken down by the power of the Holy Spirit this week! Our room studied the Bible together, exploring verses like 1 John 2:17- "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." and Galations 6:9- "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." All of these verses speak to us about the reality of eternity with God forever! And led us to ask ourselves questions like what does it mean for me to do God's will? What do I see as a reward, and what is truly a reward in God's eyes?
I would like to share one thing that really convicted my heart this week- for starters, this week I really felt God calling me deeper and deeper, to a place of surrender- surrendering every single thing, every plan, desire, wish, hope, dream, everything to Him. So if youre reading this blog post, would you please pray now that God would take me there? Anyways, one talk this week was all about how an internal heart change leads to an external change, in our actions. At the end of the talk, we were asked to write down 3 questions to apply to our own lives-
1. Is my deepest longing God's glory? Is my happiness wrapped up in myself, or Christ?
2. Do I proactively seek holiness as a lifestyle?
3. Am I a person willing to really dig in, spend time in, the Bible?
Along with this, Matt Bradner, the conference speaker, said on the first night- "God is committed to positioning us in situations that reveal our hearts, that reveal who we trust in."
I also got to thinking about whether or not I think my actions can change my heart....The reality is that they can't. The Kingdom of God must be from within. So, I think in my heart, I see a potential person, you know, an ideal- who you wish you were, and the sin in my heart wants to just change over night, to be there, to reach that potential now! Let's be real, thats impossible, and it is a process. So, what I have left that conference with is an authentic prayer to God, that He would refine me, change me, break me, even if it is so painful, even if I suffer. Those 3 questions that I asked myself also helped me to see little corners of my life that I keep for myself, that I don't want God to take control of, which ultimately, I am sacrificing joy and wholeness when I do this.!
Well, I feel like I have shared alot about DC! I appreciate your prayers, both for me and for my ministry. As the second semester of Furman starts, and I begin again attempting to raise these funds, I would love for you to pray that God would put it on hearts to join me in this ministry, that a team of financial supporters would be raised up. And for my own ministry right now, leading 3 girls that you can pray for, that I would lead them well, and that they would be drawn closer to God and spend time in the Word daily!
Phil 2:9-11
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Well, as I last wrote just before thanksgiving, I suppose I havent written that Emily is ENGAGED! It's a funny thing, because I prayed (along with alot of her other girlfriends) diligently that Jake would ask her to marry him by Thanksgiving. Thats honestly what I prayed daily for her, as her life in Spartanburg and away from Jake is just not where her heart is, and she needed that freedom to have the official title that reflected where her heart was with Jake. So, all that to say, the DAY BEFORE Thanksgiving, Jake asked her!!! They will be married in Forest City, NC (basically our home town) on April 18, 2009. I am so so excited for them- I have prayed for Emily and Jake since the summer of 2006, when they first met on Campus Outreach's summer beach project! He is also on staff with Campus Outreach, and ministers to students at Presbyterian college. I could not have hand picked someone better for her, but then again, God hand picked Jake, so thats way better than me doing the picking, lets be honest!
That might give you some insight into what I've been up to this holiday season- of course, meeting with as many people I can to share my ministry vision with them and raise up a team of supporters, begin planning Emilys wedding (yes, Kasey and I are the maids of honor!), working still at atlanta bread company part time, and actively seeking the Lord.
Over the past month, I have really enjoyed all the festivities that go along with Christmas, especially time with my family. Every year, we all go to Winston Salem to the Candle Tea (a Moravian Love Feast and tour at Old Salem), and the Nutcracker Ballet! We've been going since Emily and I were about 4 years old, and I still love it just as much as I first did! One other highlight at Christmas is attending the Christmas Eve service at church- it really reminds me of why we even celebrate Christmas, and helps me to worship Christ in my heart at Christmas. So often Christmas is simply all about the presents and the family time and everything colorful and beautiful and sweet tasting that we forget who and what the celebration is all about, and why we even have reason to celebrate.
This past week, I was able to travel to Washington, DC with Campus Outreach for the annual New Years Conference. This was the first time it was held in DC (it has traditionally been held in Atlanta for our region), but about 500 college students from Furman, Wofford, Presbyterian, Western Carolina, Virginia Tech, Radford Univ, Davidson, Elon, UNC-C, UNC-G, and Wingate crammed into the DoubleTree Hotel to learn more about God, and to explore what it means to be Legendary. The theme of the conference was LEGENDARY, which is truly relevant for this generation of college students-how do we view life, do we think about what we will leave behind when we die? How can we live now that will have an eternal impact? What does the reality of eternity mean for us?
I had one of the best weeks of the entire year there- although it was by far the most tiring, not only did God reveal so much about my own heart to me, but I was able to minister and give my life away the entire week. It confirmed in my heart once again, what God has called me to do with my life- give it away to college students, to become all things to all people that they might know more about the One who has given His life to save us! I lead 3 senior furman girls, and 2 of them were there, along with 2 freshman that I have been spending some time with! ! I cannot tell you how many doors and barriers that were broken down by the power of the Holy Spirit this week! Our room studied the Bible together, exploring verses like 1 John 2:17- "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." and Galations 6:9- "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." All of these verses speak to us about the reality of eternity with God forever! And led us to ask ourselves questions like what does it mean for me to do God's will? What do I see as a reward, and what is truly a reward in God's eyes?
I would like to share one thing that really convicted my heart this week- for starters, this week I really felt God calling me deeper and deeper, to a place of surrender- surrendering every single thing, every plan, desire, wish, hope, dream, everything to Him. So if youre reading this blog post, would you please pray now that God would take me there? Anyways, one talk this week was all about how an internal heart change leads to an external change, in our actions. At the end of the talk, we were asked to write down 3 questions to apply to our own lives-
1. Is my deepest longing God's glory? Is my happiness wrapped up in myself, or Christ?
2. Do I proactively seek holiness as a lifestyle?
3. Am I a person willing to really dig in, spend time in, the Bible?
Along with this, Matt Bradner, the conference speaker, said on the first night- "God is committed to positioning us in situations that reveal our hearts, that reveal who we trust in."
I also got to thinking about whether or not I think my actions can change my heart....The reality is that they can't. The Kingdom of God must be from within. So, I think in my heart, I see a potential person, you know, an ideal- who you wish you were, and the sin in my heart wants to just change over night, to be there, to reach that potential now! Let's be real, thats impossible, and it is a process. So, what I have left that conference with is an authentic prayer to God, that He would refine me, change me, break me, even if it is so painful, even if I suffer. Those 3 questions that I asked myself also helped me to see little corners of my life that I keep for myself, that I don't want God to take control of, which ultimately, I am sacrificing joy and wholeness when I do this.!
Well, I feel like I have shared alot about DC! I appreciate your prayers, both for me and for my ministry. As the second semester of Furman starts, and I begin again attempting to raise these funds, I would love for you to pray that God would put it on hearts to join me in this ministry, that a team of financial supporters would be raised up. And for my own ministry right now, leading 3 girls that you can pray for, that I would lead them well, and that they would be drawn closer to God and spend time in the Word daily!
Phil 2:9-11
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
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