A Note to My Lord

The flames of the refining fire are rising up again. I know it will be hard and trying, but I welcome it for the glory it will award You in my life. 


Before you had me focused on taming my tongue, a hard, but fruitful lesson that has made me more full of joy because of Your faithfulness to reward the word to a hungry soul. Seeking truly to please You, I made it my joy to search You and Your word for the way to do that very thing You were calling me to do. I suppose, now, I have learned what it is that You desired me to learn in that area and now you are moving me onto the next thing; Contentment.


The desire for stuff, material stuff, is something I have always struggled with. You already knew that. Shopping, one of my favorite things, but one of my greatest cripplers. Only temporary fillers to make me only "feel" satisfied in one moment, when I am not. I will only be "full" for a little while and then become restless once again when I am bored or sad. It is an emotionally draining and hurtful process to myself and the ones I love, that I continue to warrant myself a part of. 


As I am now having my eyes opened, this is something You desire me to learn once and for all. You want to be the ONE thing that will satisfy me, so that my joy may be full. So, now, I seek the One and Only One I know, that can change this in my life for real, forever. 


Lord, I desire perfect contentment as Paul had in his life. I would assume because he says he "learned to be content" that, for him, it was also a process, a choice he finally made to say You were it for him. 


1 Timothy says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." I desire to be godly. I desire to please You with my life and bring glory to You, but if my I cannot be content, what do my actions really say about my heart? You know the deepest parts of me, and are digging out what is buried, to bring out even the smallest impurity, so that You can so gently remove it and replace it with LOVE. 


I desire to not just say that my treasure is in heaven, but to truly understand what it means for You, Jesus, to be the one and only treasure my life seeks after. 


I know through Your word, You will bring me closer to You. You will teach me to "know wisdom in the inward parts". You will be faithful to bring me to the other side, and in my obedience You will render glory. There will be growth from this trial, there will be beauty from these ashes I have only to offer You.


Lord, stretch my understanding to fully grasp the gravity of contentment in this life. Your word even says along side godliness, contentment brings great gain. I feel like I cannot wrap my mind around this concept in a full way, I know you are are more than able to do more than I could ever ask, think or imagine. 


You are the Author and Finisher of my faith. You take the nothingness I have to offer, the broken mangled disaster of flesh and bones and you teach me to walk in light. 


"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20


Amen and again, I say Amen. 

A Blessed Day

I have to say, time with my family is such a blessing!


It swells my heart when Sophia says with her little attitude, "oh. my. gawsh!". She gets so excited to talk about kittens and give kisses. Just laying around on the couch with my momma and sister, watching the littles play. The smell of dad's mid day coffee brewing, and being encouraged by him. 


Wish Claire could have been there to hang out too, but the busy life of a teenager is pretty important :) Next time Claire!


Just wanted to share how blessed I am by time with ALL of my family. I am overwhelmed by what the Lord has done and is doing in us all. Love you guys!


My dad said today how he appreciated I make the rounds when I'm in town. I saw them, stopped by my in-laws [sorry I missed you Mom & Dad!], took some soup to my sister's [they weren't home either :(]


I had plans with a friend for dinner, but they fell through because she had a LONG day of interviews! Her and her husband are moving here to Michigan in just a couple of weeks! I will share my excitement with you because this is my best friend since the 2nd day of our freshman year who has been living in Florida for the last, geez, five years? But now the Lord is bringing them back home! Still praying she finds favor with the jobs she interviewed for today and that the Lord's will would be done for their lives.


But back to my point, it blessed me to know my dad appreciates my effort and as I was praying in the car, and thanking the Lord for the day, He laid on my heart a woman and her husband who used to visit me weekly at Starbucks. Aysel & Oktay. They are from Turkey. Before Christmas they came in one last time to let me know they would not be coming in anymore because they were opening their own cafe closer to where the lived. I was sad that I wouldn't see them as often but assured them I would come to visit them soon. What an opportune time for the Lord to lay them on my heart. 


I had to stop for gas on my way home from visit my family today and the Orchard Lake Rd exit was where I would get off. I remembered Aysel saying their new cafe was in Farmington, so while I got gas, I googled Cafe Even. It was only 2 miles from where I was, so I took a little trip! What a blessing it was! Aysel and Oktay were so excited that I came! As was I! I got to try some of Aysel's baked goods she makes for the cafe to sell,  have great conversation and get to know them a little better.  There is a little bit of a language barrier between us, but the Lord is good. 


This is just another one of my gratitudes that I want to share with you. I hope to visit them as often as I visit my family since it is on my way home, and promised them I would return. I am praying for them and their family, for their business and for opportunity to share the Gospel with them. They are such sweet and interesting people, and I am blessed to know them. 


Today was a good day! Every day is a good day when Jesus is in your heart 


xo Jess

Gathering Gratitudes

Gratitudes for Today:

[18]: a healthy dinner <3

[19]: fresh grapefruit breakfast <3

[20]: cooking a healthy breakfast

for my sweet husband <3

^^This one I have no photo for, but

I can tell you this is so so often a

joy for me! I love to cook for those 

I love, especially the man of my dreams :)

[21]: extra hours at work 

Short But Sweet

"Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches." 

Galatians 6:6

I started to read in Luke 8 today, I just got through a few verses. But was reminded how much our Lord wants to spend time with us.

At the end of verse 3 in Luke 8 after he mentions the people who were with Jesus while He taught in "every city and village", he says:

"...and many others who provided for Him from their substance."

Provided in that verse means, ministered. Often, Jesus and His disciples ate good food and spent time with each other. They spent time in fellowship with each other and others that wanted to fellowship as well. 

The verse from Galatians is one that I was referred to from my MacArthur Study Bible for the definition of "from their substance". Jesus wants us [the taught] to share in "all good things" with Him [the Teacher]! 

He wants us to spend time with Him, so we can partake in all good things! What a blessing that was to hear today! I hope it blesses you too, and I also hope it encourages you to crack open your Bible and dig into the goodness of God. 


Let the Lord wash over you with His goodness. Dive in and I promise you will be refreshed. 

Gathering Gratitudes

Gratitudes for Today:

[14]: candles burning <3

special thanks to my 

{wonderful}

husband who always

encourages me to relax.

[16]: flaming hot cheetos <3

best. snack. EVER.

More to come...

Love, Jess xo

Gratitudes

Here are a few gratitudes for today:

[10]: my time in Luke 6 <3

[11]: morning tea <3

[12]: snoozy kittens <3

 

[13]: snow <3

Share yours too! More to come!


Love, Jess xo

Correction in Love

I am happy to report that this morning I moved into Luke 7! I will share verses 36-50 with you today:

"Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.”  “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

In many places of the Gospels Jesus is correcting. He's correcting peoples actions, their speech, even their thoughts! The best part of Jesus in His corrections; Love. 

I think we can all think back to a time in our lives when we were corrected in anger. I look at this dinner engagement that Jesus attended and He sees a heart full of pride and doubt [vs. 39]. 


He then speaks a word to change this fleshly and prideful perspective.


He is tender towards this woman's gift of tears. Her tears and the fragrant oil was all she could offer. 


I think of the widow in Mark 12 who gave all she had to the Lord out of her poverty. Christ counts this as great. 


We, in our pride, may turn our noses up and say, "they only gave that much?". We should be rebuked.


I have been guilty of this many times, even just in my thoughts. Praise the Lord for making it clear in His word that humility is counted as great in God's kingdom. If we read His words, there will be no doubt how the Lord feels about this subject. 

We are all sinners.

He came to die so that we could be set free from our sins. He gave His life as an offering, so that we may lay ours down at His feet. With faith in Jesus we, ALL, gain salvation, hope, peace, joy and so much more. 

Waste no more time on pride. Come to the Lord of humility, in humility and be full. 

1000 Gifts

I have been reading the book "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp as of late. Through this book and other places like this  I have been encouraged to begin posting my "gifts" or "gratitude" or "thankfulness" for things that I adore Jesus for giving me. Even the smallest of things. 

I had started keeping a record in my book I often write in, so I will start today with just a list, and hopefully in the near future I will have photos to go with each thing. 

Here are a few I listed on December 27, 2011:

1. Painting my little sister's nails.
2. Teaching my baby [16 year old] sister how to do her makeup
3. Sophia's cute little quips; Her song & dance
4. My quiet house
5. My Dad's salt & peppering, full head of hair
6. My Dad's geeky jokes that make all of his daughter's eyes roll, but make our hearts swell with Joy for having a Father just like him!
7. My hard working husband [so grateful for this man of mine. praying each day I can show him my thankfulness for all that he does for me. 

I will add more as the days come. I hope you will share yours with me as well.

Love, Jess xo

With ALL JOY

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' & not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, & hears My sayings & does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep & laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, & could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." Luke 6:46-48 ♥

May we hear the Lord clearly & go out each day doing {with all JOY} the things He has called us to.♥

I have to admit, I have been weary. So many things, everyday, take up my time, my joy, my energy. My truest desire is to do the things I know the Lord is calling me to. 

Like I said last blog post, I've been stuck in Luke 6, but I count it all joy to be sitting here. In the Lord's presence, taking in the words of my Savior. I've been gathering in all of His teaching, evaluating whether or not I actually follow what He teaches. Praise Him, He's changing me daily! I prayed for peace these past few weeks and He as come triumphantly! I have prayed for instruction and He has answered me here in the Gospel! 

I feel slowly, the Lord is building my life on this foundation talked about in these verses. I desire to hear from Him AND obey. Not just hear, but to take action in those conversations of correction with my Lord. Daily, He is laying stone and mortar. He is planting seed and watering in the heart of this child, so desperately in need of His grace. 

I am humbled by each verse knowing Christ is the standard, and none of us will ever make it even close to His perfection. And here we meet our Hope, and again I am overwhelmed. I again swoon after the One who has loved me so much, He has given me what not one single other living creature can, HOPE. 

I read another devotion that I get in my email regularly today and it was also encouraging. Like HERE to be encouraged by it as well.  

I pray for you readers, that your desires would begin to change today. I pray your love for Jesus would grow as you read His word and know His immense love for you.

Gather in His words today, it is the abundance of life.

Love, Jess xo

Where Have I Been?

"If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable; think of it as a place of training and correction and it's not so bad." -C.S. Lewis


Hello Blog World! It's been quite a while. Where have I been? Well, amongst all the holiday cheer, of course! It's been a month of training and correction for sure, but joy as well. I have been stuck in Luke 6 for the past couple weeks. Christ teaches. I've just been soaking in the words of my God. 

"Blessed are you poor, 

For yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled.

Blessed are you who weep now, 

For you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out 

Your name as evil, 

For the Son of Man's sake.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in Heaven."

I've been trying to fully grasp this. There have been a lot of situations lately of being excluded, reviled ad cast out. Not in every situation does it involve me, but I've been surrounded by so much hurting. I haven't been exactly sure how to handle it, so I've prayed a lot. 

This morning as I read these words again (I rIally think I will sit in this chapter for a while) I prayed for understanding. I prayed for changed attitudes, changed perspectives, changed hearts, and for peace. I pray for an overflowing of grace in my own heart, and in the hearts of those around me. Also, for compassion. 

I desire to rejoice in even suffering. I have been sad at the circumstances, conversations & attitudes I have encountered, but the Lord is calling to rejoice & also to take action. My prayer today was that I would be filled with an attitude of grace in all things. To give it, to know how to live under it and how to receive it. In all circumstances, conversations and with EVERY person. 

I pray this for you today, as well. Jesus goes on to instruct us how to live this out, even and especially towards those who do exclude, revile and cast us out, and His words are beautiful. 

Check it out for yourself! 

I'm also reading a good book called "One Thousand Gifts". It's written by Ann Voskamp. A great read so far, from someone who lived for so long in hardness, and was set free, it has encouraged me to daily live in thankfulness to the Lord for even the smallest gifts and wonders, because they are ALL from Him, its the choice we make to give Him praise in it. 

That's all for now, but I hope you are encouaged & blessed. 

May the Lord bless you & keep you, may He make His face to shine upon you & give you peace <3 

xo Jess