Stepping Heavenward

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My sister prompted me countless times to read this book, and no wonder; I can hardly believe how alike my personality and struggles are to that of Katherine Mortimer in Stepping Heavenward. I'm not even a third of the way done with the book, but I read something that I just had to share:

"Lay down this principle as a law --- God does nothing arbitrary. If He takes away your health, for instance, it is because He has some reason for doing so; and this is true of everything you value; and if you have real faith in Him, you will not insist on knowing the reason. ...

    In reading the Bible I advise you to choose detached passages, or even one verse a day, rather than whole chapters. Study every word; ponder and pray over it till you have got from it all the truth it contains.

    As to the other devotional reading, it is better to settle down on a few favorite authors and read their works over and over and over until you have digested their thoughts and made them your own. ...

    You can will to choose for your associates those who are most devout and holy,

    You can will to read books that will stimulate you in your Christian life rather than those that merely amuse.

    You can will to use every means of grace appointed by God.

    You can will to spend much time un prayer without regard to your frame at the moment.

    You can will to prefer a religion of principle to one of mere feeling; in other words, to obey the will of God when no comfortable glow of emotion accompanies your obedience.

    You cannot will to possess the spirit of Christ; that must come as His gift; but you can choose to stdy His life and to imitate it. This will infallibly lead to such self-denying work as visiting the poor, nursing the sick, giving of your time and money to the needy, and the like.

    If the thought of such self-denial is repugnant to you, remember that it is enough for the disciple to be as his Lord. ..."

Now, although the book is fiction, it is packed full of the truth of Christianity. The quote above is from a letter Katherine Mortimer receives from her pastor, Dr. Cabot. She continually goes to him with questions about her Christian walk, and he replies with great wisdom.

    Truly, I would recommend this story to all girls, that God might use it to benefit them as He has for me and my little sister. And now, I think I'll go read some more!

Million or Millennium?

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{ http://weheartit.com/ }

I have had an small but meaningful event recently which has made my heart a very heavy thing at the thought. That people would actually rather believe that they 'evolved' from a rock rather than were created with care and love by a meticulous and all-powerful God is both wholly perplexing and heart-wrenching. When I hear people use the words, 'a million years ago', I usually smirk because I know that's just ridiculous, but when I think that people tried to dream that up as some excuse for not believing in God... it grieves me for them. However, I also rejoice in God that He would not let me fall away.

    Now, more to the point, this is the event: When I was searching for pictures online of flying buttresses --- just felt an urge to know what such a word could possibly define --- I happened upon a blog by a man, and one of the posts greatly disturbed me. It was short, to the point, and felt like a stab in the heart. He wrote, "God is an omnipresent myth." I wrote a comment on his post, trying to explain the Truth to him. He wrote back saying that he was actually glad (for some sad reason) that he chose not to believe in God. I was definitely grieved at that, but also angry that someone could be so defiant of their Maker! I wanted to write back with all sorts of facts to prove to him that God not only exists, but is working nonstop all around us, in us, and through us. My mom didn't want me to get into any heated discussion, but oh-ho, I thought, I'm at least posting about it because my heart breaks into pieces when I don't live what God created me for: for Him, for His glory, to love and obey Him.

{ http://weheartit.com/ }

This, along with Stepping Heavenward, has been inspiring me to live for Christ in a much more vigorous way. Anyone will pray for awhile, read God's Word for awhile, and do good deeds for awhile if they have that "I'll get to heaven if I do" mentality, but I know there needs to be so much more than that. If I am so halfhearted toward God when He had His own Son die for me, I dishonor Him and harm our relationship. I feel the need to sacrifice the things I so greatly enjoy so that I can do the things God wants. For instance, I have a terrible weakness for good stories, but if I choose them over feeding the hungry, giving to those in need, or overall doing God's will, I misuse the gifts and opportunities He has given me. I want to stand, not sit in front of the TV screen. I want to run, as Paul said in Hebrews 12:1-2 ---

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I must pray and discover what God's will is and not try to seek out my destiny on my own. And I have every confidence that He will lead me and one day quench my thirst for purity.

North

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I was inspired to try making small posters with sweet words on them by a few friends of mine who had done it before. The first and last of the ones you see here were made with pictures I found online, but the middle one of the three was a photograph of my own which I edited. I really love Owl City.

Respectable Sins ... Prelude

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Dear Reader,

I have decided to begin a series of posts for the glory of God --- a series in which I will be going through a most excellent book by Jerry Bridges; it is called 'Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate'. I haven't even finished reading it yet, and it's already opened my eyes incredibly to the detail of sin. Remember when Christ pointed out that being angry with someone was equal to committing murder? That's exactly like what this book does. We are quite aware of the major sins, but those little ones --- those ones that seem so small that you hardly know they are there --- are what this book helps us see and teaches us where to go to get rid of them.

 

To best prepare you for what to expect in this series, I shall herein insert the preface by the author. If it interests you, I hope that you will gladly return to read more, as I plan on writing one post approximately every week. I hope it convicts and inspires you as greatly or more than it has me.

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" (John 8:7, KJV) Though many scholars today question whether the well-known account of the woman accused of adultery actually belongs in the gospel of John, the expression has become a part of our wider culture, along with a similar one: "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1, KJV).
     This book, as the title announces, is about sin --- not the obvious sins of our culture but the subtle sins of believers, the target audience of this book. So let me say up front that I am not without the sins addressed in this book. In fact, you will find that I sometimes use my own sad experiences as examples of some of these sins.
    The motivation for this book stems from a growing conviction that those of us whom I call conservative evangelicals may have become so preoccupied with some of the major sins of society around us that we have lost sight of the need to deal with our own more "refined" or subtle sins.
    While seeking to address these "respectable" sins, however, I also want this to be a book of hope. We are never to wallow hopelessly in our sins. Rather we are to believe that gospel through which God has dealt with both the guilt of our sin and its dominion over us.
    The gospel, though, is only for sinners, for those who recognize their need of it. Many Christians think of the gospel as only for unbelievers. Once we trust in Christ, so the thinking goes, we no longer need the gospel. But, as I seek to bring out in this book, the gospel is a vital gift from God not only for our salvation but also to enable us to deal with the ongoing activity of sin in our lives. So we still need the gospel every day.
    This book by no means covers all the possible subtle sins we face. A number of friends in Christian ministry looked over a lengthy list of sins I had compiled and helped me reduce it to a manageable list of the the more common ones. To those friends I express my deepest thanks for their suggestions.
    ...And above all, to God be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

{end of quote}

 Because this is only the prelude to the series, I'm not going to wait a whole week to post the first official part. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow --- quite fitting for a Sunday, don't you think? ;)

Please come back soon if God has put it on your heart to read more.

God bless! ♥

"The heavenly Potter's design may be thwarted in a number of ways, the most common of which is the toleration of sin in the life. It may be open sin or sin cherished in the imagination. It may be sins of the spirit such as jealousy, pride, covetousness, or sins of speech. Those may seem more respectable than the grosser sins of the flesh, but they are no more acceptable to God. Sin of any kind will mar the vessel."

-Spiritual Discipleship, J. Oswald Sanders

"To Live is Christ"

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Dear Reader,
I came across some beautiful passages in Scripture this morning, and read over familiar quotes from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening that I couldn't bear not to share with you! But before I do, I would like to explain my feelings concerning the condition of my present spiritual life, and thereby extend to you a further explanation for why these quotes and verses mean so much to me.

I confess, my spiritual life is once again the distracted, self-pleasing thing I have despised since the Holy Spirit entered into me. Oh, yes, I have met some spiritual goals, but reading a few chapters of God's Holy Word daily and praying every so often is hardly enough for any Christian's spiritual health. I cannot keep friends if I do not go out of my way to spend time with them, and nor can I grow any closer to Christ if my life does not become wholly reserved for loving and obeying Him. 

Halfhearted worship grieves the soul; halfhearted serving does not honor God. And yet, looking at myself, I can find no strength nor any virtue sufficient enough to further sanctify myself. My own attempts to be pure are weak indeed, and when I rely only on myself to attain the perfection I am called to as a Christian, I shall have nothing to look forward to but kneeling before God with tears of failure and regret.

But God has supplied for my great need.

Though I have no sufficient virtues, He has given me His Holy Spirit as a Helper and Guide for my wandering soul. He listens to my prayers and gives me strength --- and He gives me every spiritual fruit at the right time. Certainly, He will not instantly give me patience. I believe that when I ask for it, He shall give me the opportunity to be patient, and if I but listen to the Holy Spirit above my deceitful flesh, I shall find that I can achieve that foreign patience. You see, there is no patience in and of myself, but God alone gives it to me. 

I respect and love the martyrs for their bravery, for I myself am a coward. All my life I have been introverted. And even before my dearest friends, I feel that I behave as a stranger for fear that I shall hurt others or myself, lose their friendship by saying something wholly stupid, or that they shall see how great a sinner I am and grow to hate me as much as I hate my own sinful flesh. I've been battling with this kind of selfish thinking much of late, desiring and trying to let only Christ shine out through me to others. And I desire to grow ever closer to and more like Him, who is my Savior.

With all of that in mind, here also read this quote from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotional:

"Pharaoh's dream has too often been my waking experience. My days of sloth have ruinously destroyed all that I had achieved in times of zealous industry; my seasons of coldness have frozen all the genial glow of my periods of fervency and enthusiasm; and my fits of worldliness have thrown me back from my advances in the divine life. I had need to beware of lean prayers, lean praises, lean duties, and lean experiences, for these will eat up the fat of my comfort and peace. If I neglect prayer for never so short a time, I lose all the spirituality to which I had attained; if I draw no fresh supplies from heaven, the old corn in my granary is soon consumed by the famine which rages in my soul. When ... indifference, ... worldliness, ... and ... self-indulgence, lay my heart completely desolate, and make my soul to languish, all my former fruitfulness and growth in grace avails me nothing whatever. How anxious should I be to have no lean-fleshed days, no ill-favoured hours! ... The only way in which all my days can be as the "fat kine," is to feed them in the right meadow, to spend them with the Lord, in His service, in His company, in His fear, and in His way. Why should not every year be richer than the past, in love, and usefulness, and joy? --- I am nearer the celestial hills, I have had more experience of my Lord, and should be more like Him. O Lord, keep far from me the curse of leanness of soul; let me not have to cry, "My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me!" but may I be well-fed and nourished in Thy house, that I may praise Thy name." -Charles H. Spurgeon, Morning, July 3 [emphasis added]

Pharaoh's dream was of seven sickly, thin cows eating up seven healthy, fat cows. In the same way, the sinfulness of the flesh eats up all of our spiritual progress. So we must be wary of falling away from God for even a moment and strive with everything we have to live in righteousness, holiness, Godliness, for God's glory.

And now, the encouragement of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, verses I plan on memorizing and carrying with me always:

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

It's easy to be halfhearted in our pursuits of holiness and Godliness with the flesh ever encompassing and the world always surrounding us, but Paul encourages us to give all the effort we can to win a prize that is lasting and better than anything we can have in this life or even begin to imagine!

Father Almighty,

May I not be a hypocrite by teaching things I do not myself strive to do, but make each one of Your children to be faithful to You, and to put on Your armor and fight against the flesh and the devil. Please do not let us fall away from You, O Lord, but grant us every virtue necessary to have victory over our foes for Your glory. May we all stand before You having done well in this life; having preached the Gospel to others, faithfully, humbly, without expecting anything in return, but living all-out for You alone, and not even in the smallest measurement for ourselves. May there never be given unto You, from any of Your children, the slightest halfhearted devotion or praise, but may we all remember what Christ sacrificed for our sakes, though we were worth nothing --- and after remembering this in our hearts, may we strive to return the favor with utmost love and joy.

All glory be to You, our Father, forever, and may Your will alone be done. Amen.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

 -Philippians 1:21




God bless, dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

Tender, Loving, Wise

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Dear Reader,

I was just reading Charles H. Spurgeon's devotional from April 30th, Evening, and I thought that I simply must share it. At first, I intended to simply add part of it to my favorites quotes page, but I realized that it would be better to share the whole thing - which would be far too much to consider a mere 'quote'! 

I dearly hope that it speaks to you.

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God." -Psalm 139:17

Divine omniscience affords no comfort to the ungodly mind, but to the child of God it overflows with consolation. God is always thinking upon us, never turns aside his mind from us, has us always before his eyes; and this is precisely as we would have it, for it would be dreadful to exist for a moment beyond the observation of our heavenly Father. His thoughts are always tender, loving, wise, prudent, far-reaching, and they bring to us countless benefits: hence it is a choice delight to remember them. The Lord always did think upon his people: hence their election and the covenant of grace by which their salvation is secured; he always will think upon them: hence their final perseverance by which they shall be brought safely to their final rest. In all our wanderings the watchful glance of the Eternal Watcher is evermore fixed upon us—we never roam beyond the Shepherd’s eye. In our sorrows he observes us incessantly, and not a pang escapes him; in our toils he marks all our weariness, and writes in his book all the struggles of his faithful ones. These thoughts of the Lord encompass us in all our paths, and penetrate the innermost region of our being. Not a nerve or tissue, valve or vessel, of our bodily organization is uncared for; all the littles of our little world are thought upon by the great God.

Dear reader, is this precious to you? then hold to it. Never be led astray by those philosophic fools who preach up an impersonal God, and talk of self-existent, self-governing matter. The Lord liveth and thinketh upon us, this is a truth far too precious for us to be lightly robbed of it. The notice of a nobleman is valued so highly that he who has it counts his fortune made; but what is it to be thought of by the King of kings! If the Lord thinketh upon us, all is well, and we may rejoice evermore.

{End of quote}

I love to think about that first line, "Divine omniscience affords no comfort to the ungodly mind, but to the child of God it overflows with consolation." It is sad for the sake of those outside of such a blessing, but all the more glorious for the Children of God to know that He cares! Holding onto this kind of promise is infinitely precious.

I am grieved to think about how often my thoughts reflect selfishness rather than praise to the God who saved me from sin and eternal punishment! He deserves far more than what I can give, and although He knows this, day after day He continues to give me life. Every breath we take is evidence of His incredible mercy. After all that we have done against Him, even still, '...He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.' (Matthew 5:45)

We humans can hold grudges for a long time, and we become angry with each other so quickly. But think about God's mercy; not only does He think about us, but He cares for every one of us with tenderness and incredible mercy, even though we have done NOTHING to deserve it.

I utter this phrase with awe, on my knees, "our God is an awesome God!"

The Loss is Gain

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Dear Readers,

For a few weeks now, I have been reading this book by Leslie Ludy called 'Set-Apart Femininity', and it has opened my eyes to many new truths - truths to which my vision had been clouded. It is one thing to know something and believe it, and another thing altogether to carry it out in your life. Leslie Ludy's book has helped me realize the importance of putting Christ first, not just assuming I am because I set aside a certain amount of time for Him every day. She defines true beauty as living whole-heartedly for Christ, and forgetting self completely.

Radical? Yes.

Doable? Surely, with the Spirit of God.

Worth the trouble? ABSOLUTELY!

I was just reading Leslie Ludy's online magazine at her website, setapartgirl.com, as suggested by a very good friend of mine. The things I read were amazing. I was convicted to the core, and encouraged immensely to do some important sacrificing for Christ TODAY! She was writing about idolatry, and how something as simple as watching television or movies could become a kind of idol in our lives. (It isn't that I had never heard that before, but what she said and how she said it cut me to the quick.) She writes,

A woman ... wrote me a letter about how God had convicted her of idolatry in her life - worshipping pop culture through her addiction to movies and television. "What God calls sin I've been calling entertainment," she admitted. Bravo. Rarely have I heard anyone be willing to speak that truth so honestly. ... I've written in previous articles about how God convicted me of this same thing a few years ago. He gently opened my eyes to see that by filling my "down time" with the images and messages of Hollywood, I was participating in something that dishonored Him and grieved His heart. I was wasting countless hours of my life on something opposite of His Kingdom and His nature. Movies and television had literally become an idol in my life - something I was unwilling to give up. Something I couldn't imagine living without. ...I had been looking to worldly entertainment to bring the rest, refreshment, and pleasure that was supposed to be found in my relationship with Christ. In fact, I had started noticing that often when I tried to pray or meditate on God's word, my mind would be distracted by scenes from a movie or TV show I'd recently seen, and I would labor to get my mind back upon Heavenly things.

{End of quote}

I can absolutely relate to that! Truly, I cannot even begin to count how many times I've watched a movie even while God's Spirit was prompting me to leave and spend time with Him instead. Lazily and selfishly, I convinced myself that the movie wasn't that bad and it wasn't necessary for me to stop watching it; besides, I was enjoying myself, and even learning things! Well, Katie - here is the bad news: you are flat-out ignoring God's call! It could have been SO EASY for me to just walk away from that movie, but I gave into the temptation to stay; that silent whisper in my head which kept justifying my selfishness. Once the movie was over, I was sickened in the heart that I had not answered the Lord in obedience. After all the grace and patience and mercy and love He has shown me, still I continue to wander off the road and serve myself instead of my Savior.

Leslie Ludy continues,

...How could I survive without at least a few nights each week to relax, unwind and escape reality for a couple of hours? ... When I thought about it, I couldn't picture my spiritual heroes like Elizabeth Fry, Viba Perpetua, or Gladys Aylward spending every weekend at the movies and rushing out to see Spiderman 3 on opening night. I couldn't imagine Amy Carmichael or Sabina Wurmbrand getting hooked on Survivor or American Idol. They were far too busy living out a real-life drama with the King of the universe; spilling out their lives to bring Him glory, reveling in His abundant mercy and faithfulness; marveling at His unspeakable power, and de-lighting in the joy of His surrounding presence. ...So with the help of God's Spirit, Eric and I completely overhauled our "down time" activities. Time that we typically spent watching movies we now spent in prayer, serving others, and cultivating intimacy with our King. And though it was not an easy transition to make, in the end, the results were nothing short of extraordinary. For the past five years we have lived this way. Worldly entertainment no longer distracts me or eats up my precious time. My "down time" is spent on things of eternal value and my daily "refueling" happens through time with my King rather than time in front of the DVD player. Now that I have tasted the incredible peace and joy that comes from spending hours in God's presence, I have no desire whatsoever to return to the cheap counterfeit and temporary rush of Hollywood. I have truly discovered that in His presence {not in a movie theater} is fullness of joy. ...Making this decision has truly transformed my spiritual life in a way that nothing else ever has. It keeps me from spending hours of my week on meaningless worldly things and frees my time for things that really matter - like prayer. If you find it hard to believe that time in God's presence could be more exhilarating and fulfilling than time in front of the latest movie, I challenge you to try it for yourself and find out what you've been missing!

{End of quote}

I do not know if it is like this for everyone, but I know most of my friends spend a lot of time in front of the television set - including me! I have probably wasted YEARS of time on PlayStation games, action films, comedic TV shows, and animated cartoons. Yes, they were enjoyable, and there may have been nothing wrong with the things I watched in and of themselves, but the fact that they sucked up my time so that I had none left for Christ, or distracted me so that I couldn't even close my eyes to pray without seeing a picture of something I had watched recently, I was on the same road of emptiness the world was blindly stumbling over.

I could easily have plopped down on my bed with the Bible - God's precious Word - and found truth which brings eternal joy, but I chose rather to fill myself up with the temporary pleasure of a laugh-out-loud comedy, the pleasure of which will only come to an end. What about desiring worthless worldly movies over the pure love of Christ can POSSIBLY make sense?? If we are unwilling to give up our favorite movie to spend time with our Father in Heaven, then we are lost. If we think we can get away with withholding anything from the One who did not withhold His rights of deity, His place in Heaven, or even His life for our sake - we who are nothing but wretched sinners - then we better have another think coming!

Evening upon evening these past few weeks, I have known a HORRIBLE emptiness in my heart; a cavernous hole in my being from neglecting the Lord my God. I prayed and prayed and prayed for it to be removed, but it was not until I read these words from Leslie Ludy that I finally understood what had come between me and my Savior. Megamind and Psych, two of my absolute favorite things to watch, had stood up like a wall between me and Christ. I could not find Him because I was too busy staring at a screen of blinding lights.

Have any of you found that this same barrier has separated you from the Lord? Do not waste another second! Go straight to Him and put everything else aside! A hungry person would not bind their mouth shut, nor could they satisfy themselves with mere reflections or mirages of good food. They would unbind themselves and run straight to the real and glorious feast! And so, do not be satisfied with the mirage of pleasure and joy that the world promises, but unbind yourself; run straight to Christ and feast on His pure love, His true Word, His coming promises. Lose your desires, your dreams, your treasures, yourself - and gain Christ. The trade is more worthwhile than we can imagine!

God bless you all! ♥

Looking Unto Jesus

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Dear Readers,
I thought it would be a good time to post my FAVORITE devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon.


June 28th, Morning:

“Looking unto Jesus.” -Hebrews 12:2

It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan’s work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, “Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus.” All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that “Christ is all in all.” Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee—it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument—it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by “looking unto Jesus.” Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.

“My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness: I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

{End of quote}

The first time I read this devotional, I had just come home from a missions trip to Guatemala. At that time in my life, I was especially struggling at 'looking unto Jesus'. After such an amazing trip and experience which brought me so much closer to Christ, I felt like coming home was going to destroy my relationship with Him because I would have to get back into the hustle and bustle of regular life. It was like home was more of a battlefield because I would have to fight against all of the comfort, temptation, and easy way of life to spend time with God, when in Guatemala, every moment of the week was spent serving God in the lives of others.
    This message of 'looking unto Jesus' helped me shift my eyes away from self and all of the struggles, and focus on the One who loves me and who would gladly help me become 'hupernike' - more than a conqueror - over myself, my sin, and the world! It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever read, and it has been my favorite devotional from that moment forward. May it change and encourage you as much as it has for me... and more!

God bless you all!

Look Up

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Dear Readers,
My mother sent this to me in an email; it's an old devotional, I'm not sure who by. I thought it was vastly encouraging, so I decided to share it with you all. Enjoy!

"In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before You--and I will look up!" Psalm 5:3

This was the Psalmist's determination in the morning--and it should be ours.

Preserved and protected through the night--we should look up with gratitude, and praise our God for His goodness.

Aware of our dependence and needs--we should look up and beg mercies of our Almighty God for the new-born day.

Sensible of our foes and dangers--we should look up and pray to be kept, guided, and sanctified by our ever-present God.

If we look within--it will dispirit us;
if we look around--it may distract us;
if we look back--it may awaken fears;
if we look forward--it may arouse foreboding!
But if we look UP to God--it will preserve . . .
  the head from swimming,
  the heart from sinking,
  the feet from slipping, and
  the hands from hanging down!

Beloved, let us look up!
There our loving Father is!
There our interceding Savior is!
There all our supplies are!
There our everlasting home is!

Let others look where they will, "I will look up!"

If we look up to God in faith--then He will look down upon us in mercy; and looking, He will supply all our needs!

Mandisa

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Dear Readers,

A very good friend of mine just introduced me to an incredible female singer by the name of Mandisa. Not only does she have a beautiful voice and is beautiful on the outside, but sounds to have a beautiful heart that loves the Lord.

    I just found a YouTube video of her from about two years ago which intrigued me greatly: Click here to watch it.

I absolutely love looking at the lives and hearing the voices of other Christ-followers; It helps encourage me when I fell like I can't handle difficult circumstances anymore by pointing me back to God, who has the best in mind for me, even throughout my struggles (Romans 8:28). Mandisa has a song all about this, called 'He Is With You'. I heard it a moment ago for the first time, and at the end, I just started tearing-up because it was so sweet and beautiful and true!
    Another song of hers I'm listening to presently called 'Voice of a Savior' has a similar message, and also is powerfully beautiful!

I think I might have found another favorite music artist!

~God bless you all!~

Lily-White Purity

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Dear Readers,

I was reading once again in Leslie Ludy's book, Set-Apart Femininity, and I came across more quotes that I just HAD to share!

"Are we willing to lay down everything else and take up His set-apart commission?

    God's sacred intent for us goes far beyond just ... idolizing Christian bands instead of secular ones. It is not just making sure we tack on some Christian morality to our self-indulgent lives.

    His sacred intent for you and for me is nothing short of absolute abandonment to Jesus Christ, entire separation from the pollution of the world, and ardent worship of our King with ever breath we take.

    Yes, it's a huge vision - one that is contrary to everything our culture presents. In our modern world, we as young women seem to be presented with only two options for our femininity - we can either embrace the ... version of womanhood glorified by pop culture, or we can go the opposite direction and trade in perfume and makeup for grit, grunge, and guy-like behavior.

    But both of these options cause us to completely miss out on the glorious pattern God designed for our femininity. We were created to shine with heavenly beauty, to radiate with Christlike feminine loveliness, and to sparkle with the lily-white purity of our Prince. We were created to be set apart for Him.

    As you read this book, you will likely hear plenty of voices in the background screaming that it is impossible to achieve this set-apart standard. But the good news is - you don't have to achieve it on your own. As Oswald Chambers says,

When we deliberately choose to obey God, He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with all His almighty power.

    Whatever your version of femininity has been up to this moment - God desires to offer you hope and a glorious future. Jesus Christ can take a life that has been bruised, rejected, or squandered and make it completely new. He can empower a weak and helpless life to rise up and conquer. No matter where you've been or what you've done or how far from Him you feel right now - He can transform you into a radiant, victorious, world-changing, set-apart young woman.

    No matter how worthless or ugly you feel, He longs to shape you into His stunning princess. It starts with one simple step of obedience - one simple decision to answer the sacred call He has upon your life...no matter what the cost."

{End of quote}

So... Now I've at last made it to the end of the first chapter! I'm so thrilled with Miss Ludy's writing; the message she gives is straightforward, hard to hear because it's so blunt, but perfectly wonderful and full of truth! It's been a long time since I've read faith-encouraging literature quite like this... and never have I experienced this kind of devotion to not only to purity, but to Christ Himself. The combination is what I love to call 'quickening'. (One of my FAVORITE words!) Presently, I feel quickened, encouraged, and full of joy; my prayer shall be that God's Spirit will grant you the same.

God bless you all! ♥

Never Forsaken

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Dear Readers,
I was reading Charles H. Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotional, and this morning's was so well-put and convicting, I decided to share it with you all.


March 27, Morning

“Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.” -Matthew 26:56

"He never deserted them, but they in cowardly fear of their lives, fled from him in the very beginning of his sufferings. This is but one instructive instance of the frailty of all believers if left to themselves; they are but sheep at the best, and they flee when the wolf cometh. They had all been warned of the danger, and had promised to die rather than leave their Master; and yet they were seized with sudden panic, and took to their heels. It may be, that I, at the opening of this day, have braced up my mind to bear a trial for the Lord’s sake, and I imagine myself to be certain to exhibit perfect fidelity; but let me be very jealous of myself, lest having the same evil heart of unbelief, I should depart from my Lord as the apostles did. It is one thing to promise, and quite another to perform. It would have been to their eternal honour to have stood at Jesus’ side right manfully; they fled from honour; may I be kept from imitating them! Where else could they have been so safe as near their Master, who could presently call for twelve legions of angels? They fled from their true safety. O God, let me not play the fool also. Divine grace can make the coward brave. The smoking flax can flame forth like fire on the altar when the Lord wills it. These very apostles who were timid as hares, grew to be bold as lions after the Spirit had descended upon them, and even so the Holy Spirit can make my recreant spirit brave to confess my Lord and witness for his truth.

What anguish must have filled the Saviour as he saw his friends so faithless! This was one bitter ingredient in his cup; but that cup is drained dry; let me not put another drop in it. If I forsake my Lord, I shall crucify him afresh, and put him to an open shame. Keep me, O blessed Spirit, from an end so shameful."

(End of quote; all underlining is mine and not from actual quote)

As soon as I read the part about "It is one thing to promise, and quite another to perform", I was hit square between the eyes with the truth that I was behaving just like the Apostles did in Matthew. I had promised my Savior that I would stop sinning and that I would give up everything, take up my cross, and follow Him. But carrying out that promise as a saved soul in a sinner's flesh is far easier said than done. My prayer this morning was that God would help me to put on the armor He has provided for His sheep and to battle my sin, with victory just on the horizon.

    The final part I underlined really encouraged and convicted me, and I feel quickened afresh to live throughout today for God's glory. May the same be for you. God bless!

His Princess of Purity

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Dear Readers,
Recently, I have been reading an amazing book called 'Set-Apart Femininity' by: Leslie Ludy. I'm not even to the second chapter yet, but I have still experienced the wonderful way she depicts the difference between giving up one's life wholly for Christ, and living to try to please both God and the world. The book is certainly intended for women, so guys... don't expect to be wowed.
    Here are some quotes from the book that I just LOVE:

"Neither the world's version of beauty nor the modern self-esteem message truly fulfills our longing to shine with enchanting grace and princess-like dignity. And neither avenue meets that deeper inner desire to radiate with feminine beauty that never fades.
    But there is another kind of womanly beauty - one that we don't hear much about in today's world. It's the dazzling loveliness of set-apart femininity.
    Set-apart femininity exudes a beauty that is not of this world; it's the sectacular radience of a woman completely transformed by the Author of all things lovely and pure.
    Set-apart femininity, contrary to what you might be thinking, is not stodgy and grim-faced with drab, shapeless clothes, librarian glasses, and a 20-pound Bible under one arm. ...
    Set-apart femininity blends the classic womanly grace and dignity of an Audrey Hepburn with the sacrificial, poured-out-for-Christ lifestyle of an Amy Carmichael. It's true feminine beauty merged with absolute abandonment to Jesus Christ. It's the sparkling, vibrant, world-altering, Christlike version of femininity that your King created you to exude."

"The spectacular sparkle of set-apart femininity is found through absolute abandonment to the Author of all true beauty. It's found by exchanging a life consumed with self for a life consumed with Jesus Christ, by trading the desire to be attractive to this world for the longing to be attractive to Him alone. Find a woman who cares about nothing but loving, serving, honoring, and glorifying Jesus Christ, and you will see who truly is "the fairest of them all.""

"It's a lot easier to build our lives around the pursuit of wordly applause and selfish pleasure and just fit Christ in somewhere on the side than to radically pour out our lives in sacrificial devotion to Him."

"...I believe there is so much more to being a Christian young woman than what we have settled for today. Christian femininity has sunk to dismally low standards, and we are evidencing the consequences of our compromise in rocky romances, stressful family relationships, mediocre marriages, empty spirituality, and unhappy, unfulfilled lives."

"Modern Christianity focused on helping me live at least somewhat morally in the midst of all the pop-culture attractions that constantly bombarded my senses. But it didn't challenge me to shift my affections away from pop-culture attractions altogether.
    Like countless young women today, I lived with one foot in the world and the other in the murky waters of Christian compromise. I lived my life only two or three steps ahead of the culture's standards."

"I was a "Christian" young woman. But I was not a set-apart young woman.
    Still to this day, I am flooded with gratitude that God did not leave me in that state of mediocrity. Gently, patiently, and lovingly, He began to open my eyes to see how far from being His princess of purity I really was. And He began to show me a glorious new pattern for my life as a young woman - His pattern. It's a pattern that is continually being built and shaped within my life, even to this day. It's the pattern of set-apart femininity, and it's God's sacred intent for each of our lives.
    This book doesn't present a comfortable message. It won't show you how to live a self-indulgent life with a little Christian morality tacked on. ...
    This book presents a vision for a whole different kind of Christian femininity than what we see all around us today. And if you allow it to, it will awaken you to a whole new way to live that will change your existance forever.
    It is possible, even in today's world, to posses that spectacular, radient, lasting feminine lovliness that we've dreamed about since childhood. And not only is it possible, it is God's sacred intent for each and every one of His daughters."

(End of quotes)

I encourage all of you young women to take a closer look at this book. Set-Apart Femininity has a fantastic message for Christian women living in our chaotic world. Even this first chapter has been speaking to my heart, and I want to share it in the sincere hope that it will also speak to yours.

    God bless, always! ♥

(The quotes above belong to Leslie Ludy and Harvest House Publishers. Please, do not copy or misuse any of these quotes. Thank you.)

Surprise!

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Dear Readers,

It's finally happened. Inwardly, I'm just bursting with pleasure! I have finally found all the inspiration I need to get a good head start on - drum-roll, please! - my own novel! After nearly six years of writing and rewriting the same story, I think I've finally found the path I want this tale to take.

    I want you to know, this is a difficult declaration for me; I take writing very personally. But this is one time when I finally feel completely confident; previous drafts have left me feeling like they weren't good enough, no matter how my family encouraged me. God gave me the most blessed talent of writing, so I can take most anything and turn it into a story, but since writing is so personal, I wanted to make sure this story was just right before I said, 'done'.

    I have to save the details for a surprise, but I will say that I have a title, I have most of the characters, and most of the story itself pent up in my head and ready to be poured out from my pencil onto some paper! Please pray for me as I begin writing this next draft; may it be my last draft, in a good way! ;)

    You know, I've been writing ever since I knew how! The first novel I ever started writing was the work of a nine-year-old version of myself, and quite honestly pathetic. It was about a princess who was kidnapped and had to save the world. I'm sure the idea I had could have turned into something marvelous and even has been done before countless times, but the way I had it written was... awful. But it was still the beginning of something wonderful in my life.

    When I was eleven, the inspiration for the novel I'm working on right now came to me in a dream. It was July, and I was visiting my grandparents for a weekend with my sisters. I woke up, got out of bed, and without even bothering to change into my day clothes, I sat down at my grandmother's typewriter and just started writing out what I saw in my dream. (Sorry, but I still can't reveal anything about that, because most of the main idea has survived from that first version until today.) This version was so short, it fit on only two pages of paper! I wouldn't let anyone look at it. It was my treasured story, and I knew I just needed to work at it a little to make it perfect. Well, more than a little.

    The next year, when I was twelve, I read over the story again and was so disgusted with how poorly it was written that I threw it away. (Today, I regret that because it would be great fun to read over and laugh about now, but I still fortunately remember most of how it went so that I can compare it to the present version.) I then started writing the second draft, which I have kept until today in that ragged black notebook. This, too, was perfectly dreadful. I read it over today and can enjoy it because I remember the love and passion I poured into it, but it isn't much better than the first draft.

    Over the next several years, I kept gathering notes of little ideas I had, and was writing and rewriting until my fingers were sore and black as my pencil lead. (Until now. The laptop is one of the most blessed pieces of machinery ever designed!) And now, here I am! With so much hope for the future, and a solid direction and purpose, I am commencing upon the next step of this fantastic journey.

    Writing. My passion, my love, my gift which the Lord graciously gave to me.

Thirst for Purity - Origin

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There are a number of reasons why I chose 'Thirst for Purity' as the title for my blog; the two chief reasons being that I want to honor God in telling the others around me about my growing Faith, and because my name - which I want to strive to live up to - literally means 'Pure'.

     I'm a Christian, a born-again believer in Christ Jesus who is striving daily to live for Him. Purity is EVERYTHING! As a sinner, my motives, actions, and desires are all selfish, but now that the Holy Spirit is living in me, there's a new unquenchable desire to serve the Lord and forget the things I used to think were so important. My goal is to live and breathe Christ and to proclaim and honor Him everywhere I go, in everything I do.

     More than almost any other activity ever, I love photography. Taking photos of God's creation is one of my absolute FAVORITE things to do any season of the year. I deeply desire to honor God in this area of my life also. I want to give Him the glory for any and all of my achievements.

"Honor the LORD from your wealth 

And from the first of all your produce"

Proverbs 3:9 

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, 

be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

1 Timothy 1:17

{ summer, 2010 --- edited at Picnik.com }