Oxnard, CA.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
No, no, nothing can ever separate us.
I've been camped out in Romans 8 alot recently because I love the truth of this chapter from start to finish reminding me that I am no longer under condemnation through Christ - that I am free in Him - that the Spirit helps me in my weakness - and that nothing can separate me from God's love.
"Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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."
~Romans 8:35-39
I have to constantly remind myself of these truths so that my introspective nature doesn't lead me to a downward spiral of despair. I am thankful that God holds me and that He reminds me of His unchanging love.
Came across this song by Hillsong called Desert Song. It's a great song and there's also an incredible story behind it.
"Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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."
~Romans 8:35-39
I have to constantly remind myself of these truths so that my introspective nature doesn't lead me to a downward spiral of despair. I am thankful that God holds me and that He reminds me of His unchanging love.
Came across this song by Hillsong called Desert Song. It's a great song and there's also an incredible story behind it.
Monday, July 19, 2010
On Perfectionism.
I was re-reading Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing by John R. Trimble (which is an excellent book on writing!)to help a kid I tutor with writing and came across this witty quote. I feel like this can be true not only in writing, but also in life in general:
"Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a sh****y first draft. Perfectionism will ruin your writing, blocking inventiveness and playfulness and life force (these are words we are allowed to use in California). Perfectionism means that you try desperately not to leave so much mess to clean up. But clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground-- you can still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, edit things out, fix things, get a grip. Tidiness suggests that something is as good as it's going to get. Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation, while writing needs to breathe and move."
~Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Came across this blog on Recovering Perfectionists: quite funny since I can totally relate.
"Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a sh****y first draft. Perfectionism will ruin your writing, blocking inventiveness and playfulness and life force (these are words we are allowed to use in California). Perfectionism means that you try desperately not to leave so much mess to clean up. But clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground-- you can still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, edit things out, fix things, get a grip. Tidiness suggests that something is as good as it's going to get. Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation, while writing needs to breathe and move."
~Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Came across this blog on Recovering Perfectionists: quite funny since I can totally relate.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Grace. Confidence. Courage.
Another quote from the Of First Importance blog: Wow, I love that blog. Such gospel gems.
"Grace dismantles your confidence in you, while it gives you more hope and courage than you have ever had."
~Paul David Tripp, Twitter post
After being in a season of sitting in my brokeness, things are starting to look brighter. God is showing me His grace and how He is working in me even in the brokenness and pain. I am thankful for His love and how He shows it to me in tangible ways - through the loving support of community who are sources of grace and truth in my life, through reminders in nature, through His unchanging Truth and character, through the goodness of the Gospel - that I am fully loved and accepted by God because of Jesus' work on the cross. I feel very loved and held by God even in the hard times. I am thankful that God's love is constant and unchanging, and that He holds me through everything, even though my love for Him changes. I am saved by His grace alone, and not by anything that I have done. I am thankful so much that I am surrounded by His sea of grace and that nothing can separate me from His love.
I am very thankful for Spiritual Direction and the ways that I am encouraged in seeing God working in everything. I encourage everyone to take advantage of Spiritual Direction if you ever have the opportunity. It has been so beneficial to me and in my relationship with God.
Learn more about it here: Metamorpha.com. They have a list of Spiritual Directors that are available for Spiritual Direction.
If you are a Biola student, the Institute of Spiritual Formation offers Spiritual Direction.
It has been so helpful to me that it makes me think that I might pursue a second M.A. in Spiritual Formation....
Oh, I'm going to be in school forever...haha.
"Grace dismantles your confidence in you, while it gives you more hope and courage than you have ever had."
~Paul David Tripp, Twitter post
After being in a season of sitting in my brokeness, things are starting to look brighter. God is showing me His grace and how He is working in me even in the brokenness and pain. I am thankful for His love and how He shows it to me in tangible ways - through the loving support of community who are sources of grace and truth in my life, through reminders in nature, through His unchanging Truth and character, through the goodness of the Gospel - that I am fully loved and accepted by God because of Jesus' work on the cross. I feel very loved and held by God even in the hard times. I am thankful that God's love is constant and unchanging, and that He holds me through everything, even though my love for Him changes. I am saved by His grace alone, and not by anything that I have done. I am thankful so much that I am surrounded by His sea of grace and that nothing can separate me from His love.
I am very thankful for Spiritual Direction and the ways that I am encouraged in seeing God working in everything. I encourage everyone to take advantage of Spiritual Direction if you ever have the opportunity. It has been so beneficial to me and in my relationship with God.
Learn more about it here: Metamorpha.com. They have a list of Spiritual Directors that are available for Spiritual Direction.
If you are a Biola student, the Institute of Spiritual Formation offers Spiritual Direction.
It has been so helpful to me that it makes me think that I might pursue a second M.A. in Spiritual Formation....
Oh, I'm going to be in school forever...haha.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The Essence of Holiness.
Read this on the Of First Importance blog today:
"You will cleanse no sin from your life that you have not first recognized as being pardoned through the cross. This is because holiness starts in the heart. The essence of holiness is not new behavior, activity, or disciplines. Holiness is new affections, new desires, and new motives that then lead to new behavior. If you don't see your sin as completely pardoned, then your affections, desires, and motives will be wrong. You will aim to prove yourself. Your focus will be the consequences of your sin rather than hating the sin and desiring God in its place."
~Tim Chester in You Can Change
"You will cleanse no sin from your life that you have not first recognized as being pardoned through the cross. This is because holiness starts in the heart. The essence of holiness is not new behavior, activity, or disciplines. Holiness is new affections, new desires, and new motives that then lead to new behavior. If you don't see your sin as completely pardoned, then your affections, desires, and motives will be wrong. You will aim to prove yourself. Your focus will be the consequences of your sin rather than hating the sin and desiring God in its place."
~Tim Chester in You Can Change
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)