one of my new favorite verses...

Job 19.25 is an amazing verse.  In the midst of his pain, suffering, and loss of all he owned and all he held dear on this earth, he could be found telling his friends that his Redeemer lives.  And all he was concerned about was the fact that God would stand on the earth in all His glory.  Job was radiant in his faith. 

He didn't spend time blaming God. 

He didn't curse Him. 

He didn't lose faith. 

If only we could all say the same. 

He did ask why.  He did wish it wasn't happening to him.  But he didn't falter in the face of the advice from his wife and his friends. 

Peer pressure.  Advice from loved ones.  Tough words and advice to overcome.  He did.

p.s.

if you noticed, Crazy Love is on my book list of books to finish. Yeah, I was just reading through some of my posts (since it's been over 6 months since I really posted besides this week) and I started reading it in the beginning of September. I really REALLY want to finish it. Somehow I let the busyness of school overcome my desire to read more and more.

I'm working on it.

Bind Up the Broken Hearted

Courage, My sweet child
I am the whisper on the wind
I am always with you
Through the storms and through the calm

I will bind up the brokenhearted
I will be there for the lonely
Even through the hard times
When the time seems to pass so slowly

You're not a burden
Not too much to handle
I know your pain
I've felt your fear
I want to take it
Every laugh and every tear

Set aside the pains
Set aside the fears
Don't be discouraged
I am the source of all courage.

Books to read or finish reading this summer...

God Came Near - Max Lucado
The Case for Christ - Lee Strobel
Crazy Love - Francis Chan
Traveling Light - Max Lucado
(these are all ones I have to finish reading)

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior - Max Lucado
My Utmost For His Highest - Oswald Chambers

The Three Musketeers - (in English this time) Alexandre Dumas
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
Don Quixote - Cervantes
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain


And a book I highly recommend - Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo

searching for a rainbow

As I'm going through Genesis with Aletheia's 6-weeks through the Bible, I was struck again with how God used a rainbow as a promise to Noah and the world. I love to see rainbows in the sky because they are beautiful and they mark the end of rain and the beginning of sun. I tend to forget that they also represent God's promise to us in Genesis. He makes many more promises each day but I don't always see them.

It's time to look for the rainbows in my life. Whether there's one in the sky at the time or not. God has blessed me so much and He promises good for me. He loves me. Unconditionally. Who needs more of a promise than that? Not me.

Have you seen a rainbow lately?

been awhile

Maybe I'll get better at this. I somehow doubt it though. At least not in the long run. Maybe in the next few weeks though.

Anyways, something at church yesterday made me really start thinking.

Am I a conduit or am I a container? Do I receive God's glory and spread it to share with the world around me and expand His kingdom or do I receive God's glory and keep it for myself? Do I seek to share or do I just keep it to myself?

These thoughts led to other thoughts...
Do I love God the way He deserves or at my convenience?
Do I love God the way He commands or on my own terms?
Do I let myself be used as God's tool or do I fight it?

I'm still contemplating how to make sure I'm a conduit, I'm loving God the way He deserves and commands, and I'm letting myself be used as God's tool in this world.