ALL the days of my Life

     Lately I have been making it a habit to go on a lunch date with Jesus at least once or twice per week. This allows me to step away from the business of life and dwell in his presence in such a simple way. I find to inspiring to be able to simply sit with God as if he is my best friend yet still fear his Holiness. These last few weeks I have been extremely overwhelmed with all the tasks that I need to complete for school, perspectives, ministry, East Asia training, and wedding planning. My semester is absolutely crazy and it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I find that I have been lacking time spent with God in the word and in prayer because I am so busy, which is no excuse. Because of this, I have found myself complaining more, worried more, and simply not having a good attitude about many things in life. I absolutely hate the way I become when I am out of communion with God because I am in the tension of being in the world yet not of the world. But God calls us to persevere and live each day for his glory.
     My heart has been in need of a big hug from God and he gave it to me as I sat and meditated on Psalm 23. Here is what I prayed to Him as I prayed through Psalm 23.

Psalm 23  

¹ The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.  ² He lets me lie down in green pastures;  He leads me beside quiet waters. ³ He renews my life. He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake. ⁴ Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear [no] danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.⁶ Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.

 

Lord, you are my shepherd, the one who guards me and protects me an provide for me. As long as I follow you I will lack nothing, I will never be in want, and my heart will be at peace. Keep me from straying from you and grumbling and complaining when I am not in communion with you. Lord, my heart and mind are in turmoil and lacks peace. Help me to remember your promises that you will quiet me with your love and you will restore my soul. Help me to see this hard time as a time that you are guiding me in paths of righteousness for your name sake. Help me to accept these trials as an opportunity for spiritual maturity and a heart transformation. Even though I feel very distant from you and afraid as if the world is against me, I will fear no evil, for you are ALWAYS WITH ME. You comfort me with truth and allow me willingness to trust you. You give me hope even in the midst of trials. Father, I pray that the anointing of my head would over flow onto those around me, not by my efforts but by your grace. Your goodness and faithful love will pursue me as long as I live, all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! As Psalm 27 says, "one thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. ... Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait upon the Lord." Even in my days of trouble and anxiety, let me meditate on your word all the days of my life. So Father, calm my anxious heart and quiet my soul. Bless me with rest both spiritually and physically because I am in need of you. 

It is in the name of Jesus Christ that I pray these things, Amen! 

We are HIS!

Lately I have just been marveling in the fact that God is proud that we are His. He desires us. This so amazes me, because often I feel unworthy. And I am. But His mercies are new every morning- there is so much to His grace that I have yet to learn, and I love that! Another thing with how God takes pride in us, is that we shouldn't doubt our beauty.

Psalms 139:13-18
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in your secret place, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were nonee of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you."

This passage is so amazing because AHHH it couldn't be said any better! We are made with such a purpose, every day written. We were each made so SO intricately and specificly by the bestest Lover in the Universe! He takes so much joy in us and in our beauty, and I am praying that I will be able to see myself through Jesus's eyes. Even just a fraction of His love is more than I can physically experience without going over a cliff- I do believe. How special to know that we are treasured and to actually KNOW that He designed every part of us, thinking it is beautiful. This is amazing. Jesus is amazing. It's great seeing His character through the Word, there is so much to Him!

Elisa