Release

Fingers Clinched

I feel the thorns pierce my hand

Tearing my skin

And my heart

Blood trickles down my finger tips

Like crimson tears the drops fall in a rhythmic pattern to the floor

Still grasping the source of pain

I am afraid to let go...

My hand is sore

But my heart refuses to release

I hold even tighter,

And winch as the thorns are driven deeper

Caught in this Battle with my heart

My grip remains

As the blood continues to fall to the floor,

I hear you whisper in my ear

"Let Go"

Afraid of the wound that would be left exposed,

I am tempted to strengthen my grip once more

With the gentleness of a loving Father,

You ask me to release it into Your hand.

Your voice is one of comfort and assurance

That fills me with the strength I need.

Slowly, I open my hand, release....

And my wound begins to heal

David Wilkerson- The Battle Is the LORD's

My friend sent me this devotional by David Wilkerson a couple days ago.. I began to read it and nearly started to cry. It's soooo encouraging!!! and was exactly what I needed to to read that very day. Because it is so good I wanted to post it for you guys. Enjoy :)))


The reason I am writing this is to remind you the battle you are facing is not yours, but God’s. If you are a child of his, you can be certain that Satan will “rage against you.”

In 2 Chronicles 20, a great multitude came against God’s people. King Jehoshaphat and his people set their hearts to seek the Lord and to fast. The king cried out to God a prayer that most of us have prayed at times in our spiritual journey: “We have no might against these that come against us, neither do we know what to do; but our eyes are upon you” (20:12). “The Spirit of God came in the midst of the congregation…saying, Be not afraid nor dismayed…for the battle is not yours, but God’s (20:14-15).

Isaiah gave this warning to all satanic forces: “Who have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you exalted your voice?... Even against the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 37:23).

God told his people Israel, and he tells us today: “The battle is not against you. It is Satan’s rage against me, the Lord who abides in you.” God said to Satan, “I know where you abide, and where you come and go, and your rage against me” (37:28).

I ask you: where is your battle? In your marriage? Your business or job? Your finances? Your health? Does your battle get more intense day after day? If you have a heart for Jesus and a desire to cleave to him, you will face the rage of hell. But that is still not your battle.

You can end your battle quickly if you choose – simply by quitting and giving in to your fears and doubts. Satan will not bother those who give up their confidence in the Lord.

Yes, the battle is the Lord’s, but we have a part – and that is to trust and believe his promises in the face of hopelessness and what seem to be impossibilities. “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?” (Isaiah 40:27).

Faith demands that I turn over all my problems – all my critical situations, all my fears, all my anxieties – into the hand of the Lord. When I have done all I can do, and I know my battle is beyond my power, I must submit all into his hands.

Our Lord knows the raging of Satan, and we must truly believe he will act. He will bring us through floods and fires and put to chase all spiritual enemies. Here is God’s Word concerning what he will do: “Because of your rage against me…it has come into my ears, therefore I will put a hook in your nose, and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way you came” (Isaiah 37:29).

If you will hold fast to your faith – trusting him, resting in his promises, rejecting all lies of Satan coming into your mind – then expect God to come by his Spirit into your situation and bring an expected end to your particular battle. He will move heaven and earth to deliver you and make a way. The way out is to trust, trust, trust! “He makes wars to cease” (Psalm 46:9).

Nothing to Say...

Wow, I haven't posted in a while...it's really not that I have nothing to say, it's that sooooooooo much is going on and it's all too much for me to write about...so I guess the problem is that i have too much to say lol ;)

Right now I am currently wondering if my life could change any more and if there is anything left to be reveal as being different than how I once perceived it.

I know that we all go through times of testing and refinement...this is one of those times. I was listening to one of my favorite band's songs and I had a revelation of just how true the lyrics were. They speak of how when storms come and the rain falls we are washed by the water; the same water that seems to pierce us, pounds against our backs, and makes us wonder if we will ever see the Light, is the same water that refines us, and makes us stronger. It is painful and we wonder when the pounding will end...but when it does, we find our faith stronger and our hearts even more dependent on Christ's strength.

the following are the lyrics to the song i was referring to (Washed By the Water by Needtobreathe):

Daddy was a preacher

She was his wife

Just tryin to make the world a little better

You know, shine a light

People started talking

Just to hear their own voice

Those people tried to accuse my father

Said he made the wrong choice

Though it might be painful

You know that time will always tell

Those people have long since gone

My father never failed

Even when the rain falls

Even when the flood starts rising

Even when the storm comes

I am washed by the water

Even when the Earth crumbles under my feet

Even when the ones I love turn around and crucify me

I won’t never ever let you down

I won’t fall

I won’t fall

I won’t fall as long as you’re around me

Even when the rain falls

Even when the flood starts rising

Even when the storm comes I am washed by the water

Kinda interesting just how much this song fits my life- even down to the whole "Daddy was a preacher" part lol

Spring Break!!!!!!

I am now on Spring Break!!! YEAHHHHHH!!! I'm soooooo glad!!!!

Trying to be Objective- While Still Forming Personal Opinions

Today in Bible class we were introduced to a book called "I Kissed Dating Goodbye". We had about 30 minutes of discussion on it before class was out. We debated "dating" vs. "courtship" and what we as students thought about both. It was funny that this came up because I was just talking to a friend of mine Saturday night about this same subject. She has a teenage son who dates and she was sharing with me her opinion of dating. When we were talking, I shared that I don't think that dating is bad- as long as you have strong standards and convictions- it's really no different from courting. You can "date" wrong and you can "court" wrong. In my opinion it doesn't matter what you call it...it's how you act.

I really believe that both views should be presented objectively.

I have my opinions on both "dating" and "courting". I think that you shouldn't date just to be able to say that you have a "boyfriend" or "girlfriend", but with the view of trying to find the person you are going to marry and spend the rest of your life with. Do I believe in dating when you are in your early teens? No. I think you should wait until you know that you are ready to start looking for your future mate. Can dating lead to a broken heart? Yes. But does "courting" atumatically make you immune to having your heart broken during the process of finding your mate? No.

I'm not saying I think that courting is a bad thing- it's been drilled into me for the past several years that courting is the only way to go. Yea, there are pros to courting; I am simply trying to think for myself and make sure that I form my own opinions and beliefs so that I will KNOW why I feel and believe the way I do on important issues such as these.

I think it's not the best thing to only present one side of an argument. I think we should have the freedom to explore both sides. By doing this we form opinions and beliefs that are REAL to us, and not something that has simply been "drilled" into us.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

This past Thursday and Friday my Biology class watched the movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. I had seen the movie once before, but seeing it again I saw and noticed facts and statements that I hadn't before. It was really interesting to see all the evidence that point against evolution, and points towards an Intelligent Creator- God.

The fact of the matter is this: small, gradual changes within a species do occur, but complete changes (an ape evolving into a human) do not.

Evolutionists rag on Creationists, or even people and scientist that simply believe in Intelligent Design, because they say that Creationism isn't scientific at all and that anyone who believes in it is stupid and ignorant. How can that be when these so-called "ignorant" Creationist scientists are highly educated and credentialed people? Evolutionist claim I.D. believers' idea of how we came to be "isn't scientific enough", but some of their theories suggest that we evolved from molecules the developed off the backs of crystals...some even suggest that we came into being from life that was seeded on earth by aliens. Wow, where's the "scientific" explanation in that? ...its not there...



This what it boils down to: God created the heavens and the earth, and everything in it. That's what the Bible says, and that's what I'm sticking to.

I have made the earth,

And created man on it.

I—My hands—stretched out the heavens,

And all their host I have commanded.

~Isaiah 45:12 , NKJV

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

~Genesis 2:7, NKJV

*sigh*

Ok, so, yesterday I was all excited because I was going to get my hair cut by one of the most amazing hairdressers ever, Sheila. When I walked in though I was informed that she was no longer working there; I asked if she had just moved to another place and I could go there to get my hair cut. The lady at the front desk was like "No; she's out of commission right now."
As weird as it sounds, I was like depressed the rest of the day b/c I have no idea who to have cut my hair now (I have major trust issues when it comes to who I let cut my hair). So now I am looking for a new hairdresser and as of now haven't found anyone... :(((((((

Spring Break

This four day weekend has gotten me looking forward to Spring Break!!..the four days of getting to just relax and hang out {well, minus the total of about 15 hours of babysitting}, was soooo fun. I loved not having to worry bout getting my homework done....which ended up biting me around 9 last nite when i remembered i still had to read 3 chapters in my stinkin' Silas Marner book AND finish my Grammar :p yea.....that was NOT fun trying to finish it...Silas took FOREVER to read cuz it was really hard to understand, and the questions i had to answer on my study guide were ridiculous lol.
All that to say...I AM ready for Spring Break!!...no wait, I'm ready for SUMMER!!!

P.S.-Btw thanks, Coach P, for not giving us homework over the 4 day weekend! =)

Excel Unit

We just finished an Excel unit in Computer Lit. It was really cool because before this unit, I had like no idea what in the world Excel was for. LOL. But now I do!! =D Thanks, Pautsch!!
It was pretty fun learning about it; I know that I will be able to apply the information from this unit now as well as later on.

Falling on the Rock

Lately my life has been a test of faith. It is through tough times such as these where we learn to completely depend on Christ to be our strength and joy. Through everything He has filled me with an incredible Peace that only He can give. He has surrounded me with people who care for me and love me, and have been there for me whenever I needed a physical reminder of just how much Christ loves me. The gift of friends and a strong spiritual family is one that is so precious to me...I can't even begin to express how much of a blessing that has proved to been the last few weeks. To know you have people who love you and who are willing to offer emotional support provides a huge sense of security.

I can honestly say that Christ has taught me so much about relying on Him through every storm and trial that presents itself; when it is completely out of my hands and out of my control, He is the only one I can depend on.

The wonderful things is: when we learn to give it to Him and recognise that it is not are responsibility to worry about (and even if we did it wouldn't change the situation) He fills us with His perfect peace. It is one of the greatest feelings to know that He's got it under control :)

It's amazing how free we feel when we finally surrender control.....

Hey!

I know that I haven't posted in a while...I've been busy with school and facebook :] ...it's my new-found love! Thanks to one of my friends introducing it to me- I'm hooked! It's really fun b/c I've found some of my old friends on there that I haven't talked to in forever!...no, seriously, in like the past 6 years...
Anyways, the bell is about to ring so I've got to so, but will have a little bit of free time to post tomorrow. Later! :)