Time To Say Goodbye

This song, guys, is seriously good. I've like Twenty One Pilots for a while now, but just discovered this song tonight. I like the lyrics. A lot.

Grace

I have so much to learn about the grace of God. I still catch myself thinking that I have to be good enough if I want good things to happen in my life. When something bad happens, sometimes I think it's because I haven't been good enough. But God isn't like that. Nothing I do could ever make Him love me more than He already does, and nothing I do could make Him love me any less than already does. His love is constant and steady. Unlike our love, His love doesn't depend on our actions. And He is so gracious to me when I don't deserve it at all. I can't help but think of a verse I read recently,

"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant..." Genesis 32:10

God loved me when I was still His enemy. He loved me when there was nothing lovely in me. This fact so overwhelms and amazes me, I'm left speechless. With nothing but a thankful heart, and even then it's not always thankful, I want to honor Him in every aspect of my life. In Christ I have freedom, yet I am bound to Him. Not because of duty, but because of love. It's a stumbling and feeble love compared to His, but it's what I offer up to Him. He deserves my life and my all. 

"if we are faithless, He remains faithful---for He cannot

   deny Himself."

2 Timothy 2:13

A glimpse of Heaven

"I imagine our first glimpse of Heaven will cause us to similarly gasp in amazement and delight. That first gasp will likely be followed by many more as we continually encounter new sights in that endlessly wonderful place. And that will be just the beginning, because we will not see our real eternal home--the New Earth, until after the resurrection of the dead. And it will be far better than anything we've seen.
     So look out a window. Take a walk. Talk with your friend. Use your God-given skills to paint or draw or build a shed or write a book. But imagine it--all of it--in it's original condition. The happy dog with the wagging tail, not that snarling beast, beaten and starved. The flowers unwilted, the grass undying, the blue sky without pollution. People smiling and joyful, not angry, depressed, or empty. If you're not in a particularly beautiful place, close your eyes and envision the most beautiful place you've ever been--complete with palm trees, raging rivers, jagged mountains, waterfalls, or snow drifts.
     Think of friends or family members who loved Jesus and are with Him now. Picture them with you, walking together in this place. All of you have powerful bodies, stronger than those of Olympic decathletes. You are laughing, playing, talking, and reminiscing. You reach up to a tree to pick an apple or orange. You take a bite. It' so sweet that it's startling. You've never tasted anything so good. Now you see someone coming toward you. It's Jesus, with a big smile on His face. You fall to your knees in worship. He pulls you up and embraces you.
     At last, you're with the person you were made for, in the place you were made to be. Everywhere you go there will be new people, new places to enjoy, and new things to discover. What's that you smell? A feast. A party's ahead. And you're invited. There's exploration and work to be done--and you can't wait to get started."
                                                                  -Randy Alcorn

Fearless

Yesterday I got to be fearless. To celebrate the holidays, my family and some of our dear friends packed ourselves up and greeted the sunrise with a smile. Actually, we were a little bleary-eyed, but energy came soon enough and we were off. We piled into several vehicles and went racing through the winding roads and down to the river. It was about two to a canoe and we shoved off from the shore. The whole day was absolutely spectacular. There was much fun to be had, and the weather was perfect. Not a cloud in sight, full sunshine and a slight breeze. The waters were cold and clear. I hadn't been floating in ages, so it was super nice to be back on the river again. We floated the whole day, stopping whenever and wherever. Venturing off the beaten path, skipping rocks, tipping canoes, braving dark spaces and frigid waters. The day was topped off by riding in the back of a pick up truck, then polishing off an entire tub of ice cream with just a few good friends (: It was so perfect of a break, it'll be hard to go back to class! But I wouldn't change a single second. It was so exhilarating, being fearless, I'd like to be like that every day. Very much so.

beautiful people

beautiful people are those who are broken,

those who bear scars and tear stains.

they are the ones who've been wounded in battle,

those who have been lost, alone, and afraid.

their broken pieces tell their story,

the scars are framework of their lives.

broken yet oh so beautiful,

those who know what it is to fall.

beauty is not the appearance of a person,

rather it's the vast depth of their soul.

it's a beautiful thing, that tangled mess

it's beautiful honesty.

Leap

Looking at myself and who I am, I know I want to change. But how? How do I make a leap that big? How do I close that gaping gap? Little by little, and step by step. They say change doesn't happen overnight. I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and be the girl I want to be. Instead it will come through little things, little changes, time after time. Faithful in little; faithful in much. God is the sculptor, and I am the stone. He chips away at me bit by bit, shaping me into who I am to be. Who am I to be? More like Christ. I will never be perfect until I go to be with my Savior. But until then, I am to strive to be like Christ. Instead of comparing myself to those around me, I need to be comparing myself to Him--trying to be more like Him! Like I said, it's not an overnight success story. It's a journey, it's a process, it's lesson learning and taking that first step into the dark. One foot in front of another, and I will change. I don't want to remain complacent. I will strive to be like Him!

"Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him."
                                  -2 Corinthians 5:9-

Wake Up

Another semester begins! And this is my desire, that I not be complacent, and that I seek to be a light and a witness in all that I do. Have a good one, guys!