That's Pinteresting...

Hey!

So, this week I quit Pinterest and here's why. 

This isn't a condemning post at all, it isn't a rant about 'today's society', it isn't about trying to make you feel bad if you use the site; it's about me just wanting to explain what God is teaching me about and how this involved the website. 

Basically, a man in my church read aloud Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd. He spoke only about the first line. He was saying how he had known this Psalm practically his entire life, but he had gained new revelation from just those first 11 words...

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want."

Especially those last 6 words. 'I shall not be in want.' It provoked me to read and reread this Psalm, and a beautiful one it is too. That first line just stuck in my heart. God was saying to me that if I truly believe Him to be my everything, like I sing or pray about, if I really believe it in the nitty-gritty of everyday life, where things are messy and complicated, I actually would not be in want for anything.

God's been challenging me on it ever since, and I love it. 

What I found was that my 'browsing' of Pinterest could quite easily turn into wasted time, but most of all, it was harbouring a spirit of want in my heart. I would see something and pin it onto a board that I had neatly arranged, but with every pin what I was really doing was saying 'Oohh, I'd like that' or 'I want that' and then creating a board plastered with a variety of things, most of which whispered 'want.'

I do think the website can be utilized in a positive way though, especially for ideas of crafts or recipes or exercises and the like, however for me, I personally felt that God told me to quit the website. Having an account and spending time 'getting ideas' didn't really work for me, and this was a practical way of cutting out that spirit of want, just through obeying Him. 

So, in conclusion, if you feel you identify with what I'm saying then pray and see if it's a practical way that God can teach you things through too. If you don't feel convicted to leave it alone, then all I would like to say is that I encourage you to utilize it for ideas and inspiration and to actually do what you find (I hardly ever did any of the workouts I regularly pinned! :P) because I honestly found that it didn't take long whilst 'browsing,' to begin to feel disappointed or discouraged, unhappy or even in want of certain 'things' for myself or my life; and I believe that feeding those kinds of feelings or thought patterns can be quite dangerous.

Now,  please bask in this wondrous scripture...

C.

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd,
I [a]shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside [b]quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the [c]paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the [d]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no [e]evil, 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 [f]have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 [g]Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will [h]dwell in the house of the Lord [i]forever.

Surrender.

surrender.

So, recently I've been struck by this song by Kim Walker, (link down below!) I've heard it hundreds of times and loved it, but just recently fresh revelation has come from these lyrics. Especially these two chunks below...

All to you, I Surrender…
Everything, Every part of me.
All to you, I Surrender…
All of my dreams, All of me.

...

No turning back, I've
made up my mind.
I'm giving all of my life this time
What does it mean to surrender everything? What does it look like to 'lost in love for You'? 

These two questions were provoked by these lyrics, (it's amazing how God can reach and touch your heart through something you've heard before! There's always more to learn!)
Well, those two questions are what I'm currently embarking upon learning with God. 

I know for sure I haven't got this surrendering thing down to a T, and I'm not sure I ever will completely. I think it's an on going thing to consciously decide to do! (Atleast for me anyway!) But what I do know, is that recently I've been learning a little bit more about how to surrender more to Him each day.

Let's add some context. I've been thinking a lot recently about future plans, and how if what I'm doing at the minute is directly preparing me for those plans, and how if they're not, maybe I should change things? But then I think... maybe I shouldn't change things because that involves big decisions, (and we all know I don't really want to face those beasts in case they'are the wrong choices!)

You know those kinds of thought battlefields? The ones where you want to have a complete direct plan, that you know you can check-up on every now again and feel satisfied you're sticking to it? Those niggling thoughts that can sometimes be buzzing around too loud in your mind it is hard to silence them?

Well I certainly do. Listening and worshipping God through this song has brought me an unbelievable peace in this situation of surrendering decision making to God, it has been a release of anxiety. Knowing that when surrendering ALL of me, (including all those plans and dreams!) to God means that I can have peace in the decision making, because I know my God has my back. And I'm sure that if in surrendered obedience to Him, He wouldn't let me go so far 'off the plan' that He couldn't reach me. My lovely friend put it this way, ' I know God has a plan and I can never mess it up so badly that He can't fix it.' Wow.

In surrendering control, and trusting God it makes decision making easier! He's SO BIG. And SO LOVING! And plus, His ways are far greater than ours, it's safe to make decisions and take that leap of faith until the next one comes along. 

Ephesians 3:20-21

^20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!

He's got us.

Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSgn-nmBpNY

C.

Be loved.

Hey,

Matthew 22:36-39

New Living Translation (NLT)

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

A while back God told me to read through the gospels and I haven't been able to get out of Matthew yet, it's just so good! 

This verse is just pure and simple. Loving God first with everything we have and then loving others as we love ourselves, incredible.

This evening we had a worship time with the students in our church and one guy said to ask God how you can sacrifice and commit yourself completely to Him. He asked us what were the things that we were filling in the gaps of our lives with, instead of Jesus. 

It was so interesting to ask God that question. I know for myself, I'll commit myself to Him in a moment, and then in the middle of the week, when I'm still beating myself up about something that happened like the week before, I think to myself, 'I am not putting God first in this situation, I've clearly taken back control' and I've wondered, why?

I think there are many reasons it can be easy to do this, but one that I've just figured out with the Holy Spirit is that I often forget to live everyday as His beloved. I recognise God as my Heavenly Father, the All Mighty Creator, but sometimes I can forget how much He actually adores me, (and you of course!)

I know that sounds crazy, how could someone forget that? 

But so easily performance mentality weasels it's way in and you can go right back to listing things off to God that you've done right or wrong, or how you could have done this better, or what that person must have thought when you said this, and so on, when actually all He wants is our hearts. 

It reminds me of Galatians 3, where Paul says, "^2-4 Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness?" (The Message Version) 

Jesus has the victory. He paid for it all on the cross. That is the best demonstration and act of love ever. It's not about us at all, it's not about what we can and can't do, what we fail or succeed at. It's about His overwhelming love for us.

All I know right now is that that is an outrageous love, it's wonderful, it's perfect and it's freeing. And it makes me want to know Him and love Him and serve Him more and more, because He is so worthy.

The worries and the fears (although they seem huge) pale into insignificance next to Him. I choose to live as His beloved, a life full of love. I choose to give Him everything like the widow's offering in Mark 12: 41-44 

One last thing that struck me, the same guy also said this evening, that these choices are daily, there are significant times to recommit yourself, but there are daily choices too. 

To choose not to worry if your prayer is shorter than everyone else's, the choice to sing with all your might even if you get the words wrong, the choice to volunteer to read, the choice to wash up other people's dishes, the choice to speak up to injustice on the street, the choice to forgive yourself for being late, the choice to turn the TV off and get on your knees before Him. 

Sometimes they can seem insignificant, but they never are to Him.

Check out this video, it will rock your world.

WE ARE HIS.

C.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtZUNf0Yt54

Produce of His Perfume - [Poem]

Hey!

So this is just a short 'story' (if you could call it that!) inspired from a word a guy gave me this evening. To some it might just be wacky-weird and nonsensical. But... I'm okay with that! Please take from it what you will, I know for me right now, it means something pretty great and important. From the metaphor in this 'story' I felt it needed to be shared, and I hope you feel peace from it.

C.

P.s Also at the bottom there is a link to a brilliant song, which might make this post make more sense, it's still wonderful, check it out?

Matthew 5:8-9

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Upon the shelf of her disorganised dresser sat several glass containers, each holding within themselves a liquid of senses. They stood about an inch and a half high, with bottled tops ready for spritzing. She prized them all. For within each was more than just a different smell, it was a different evoked thought, a different gift, a different feeling, yet none ever last for long.

In her disarray of Monday mornings, she would save herself time to choose wisely of her aqueous ally. Each day was marked by her early expectations, as she attempted to arm herself for today’s battle through the feuding field of puppetry.

One day when she awoke from her slumber, a dusty glint caught her eye. Upon the wooden windowsill stood a different glass bottle, a bottle of esteem, and exuding with vintage flair, caught the glare of the sun through the window, which in its focussed beam immediately lifted the dust from the glass in a clear haze.

There, was her old perfume, in its old bottle, with its withering atomizer, the liquid inside mature.

She walked over and lifted the bottle from its bondage with the saturated ring mark upon the glossy sill, and enclosed her fist around the pump as if she were holding the hilt of a sword. She breathed the colour of maturity in, and heard the shape of the droplets sing into her lungs.

This is what she had needed, all of what she needed was contained within this bottle of life. It wasn't just a scent; it was a fragrance that marked her future. The longer it was left, the more it would temper to become what she needed for the next day and then the next.

Yet it never ran dry.

Long gone now are the superficial spritzers, the tiny testers. No longer does she need them. She knows now that what she has comes from a greater understanding. Within that mix of liquid she found upon the windowsill that day, was enough for her and another, and another. Within it all, there was something different to be felt by each individual.

A greater source was found, greater than her own collaborations of attempts.

Now she was ready for the battle field.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvUam7OQ-kw

His embrace - [Poem]

This is my attempt to convey into words the sense of security and devotion we experience when in His embrace even if only for a second.


His embrace is like a paper clip,
tangible and closing in.
It holds the A4 of me together,
even the margins of my awkward limbs.

I fit into His arms, like a built in wardrobe,
where everything has it's eternal place
shelved and organised, when I look to His face.

I can see things differently
from the warmth of His chest,
The smoke finally clears,
I'm no longer left to guess.

His arms fold around me,
more tightly than origami.
But, here in this folding
He knows I'm still withholding.

So, 
as I breathe out the ashes of my striving,
He lifts up my head with attention undivided.

He whispers in my ear and I almost
don't hear,
as my blood performs, it's attempted escape
from it's venous constraint.
But still through the bloody uproar His words pierce
the surface of my core.

"I. Love. You."

There. It is finished.
8 letters, and I'm undone.

I'm the island
in His sea of arms
and there's nowhere left to run.

In His acceptance, more gratifying than speech,
He is my shore of certainty, and hope is now 
my beach.

Forever will He hold me up,
like a hanger on a coat,
and constantly He will whisper:

"No, you did not misquote."





 © 

The truth is. - [Poem]

Sometimes when I say ‘You alright?’

I know that you are not.

And I know that you know, that you are not.

So when did we become so vague and insecure,

Never saying what we feel, but always acting so ‘pure’

Of heart and mind

Always wanting to be kind

Yet failing blindly.

It’s all because we've forgotten who we are,

We’re focussed on what we do,

So God seems so distant

 and afar.

But the truth is

He never left.

When you felt pain that time?

He felt the same.

When you spoke those unkind words,

He loved you all the same.

When you left that person out and sought out

The attention for yourself

He knew that He could help.

But why didn’t we let Him?

Why?

Because we were too hung up,

 on trying to do it for ourselves,

Never wanting to seem

 needy,

lonely

or in doubt.

But God looks at our heart and He knows us so well.

So next time that I ask you, ‘You alright?’

I’ll stop and I’ll sit tight,

And I’ll wait and I’ll wait until you say

Actually

How you feel.

And when I say ‘I’ll pray’

I’ll do it there and then.

Shout it out loud or whisper it in my head,

All the same.

 I know that this mandate,

To Love everyone is real and

It’s never too late.

So next time you ask me, if I'm ‘alright’

I’ll answer you honestly,

I’ll not put up a fight.

I’ll not put up a façade,

Or hide my cards.

I’ll let you see what God is doing, has done and is yet to do,

Because after all  He is,

The Only One,  

The Beloved Son,

The complete wholeness of love,

To whom we’re all undone,

We’re all His works in progress yet complete at the same time,

So let’s stop pretending

And share the truth of our lives.

Apologies.

Hey! 

So... it's been a heck of awhile. And a lot has changed in that while, one thing that hasn't? My God. 

Since moving to another city to study there have been a lot of uncertainties, however God's really used this time to develop my trust in Him, He's been there all the way through - which is one of the many lessons I'm learning with Him at the minute, when it says 'He will never leave you nor forsake you' (Deuteronomy 31:6) He actually means it, and it is amazing.

However, one of the lessons I'm learning most about at the minute is something about myself I didn't even realise. Since moving, a couple of friends pointed out to me, how often I say sorry. It seems really trivial and insignificant, (and slightly annoying for others!) but God's really been teaching me about things related to this.

I didn't even realise this about myself, but it was so true! I would say sorry for the silliest things, (and then when told I needn't be sorry, I'd usually apologise again!) 

God told me that it was a habit I had gotten into through... yes, the 'p' words... 'people pleasing.' However one thing that I realised, was that the more I said sorry unnecessarily, the less value I felt it would have when I really meant it, when it really was necessary. 

For example, in apologising for jumbling up words or not completely understanding something, showed me how I was actually apologising for thinking differently. This struck me as absurd, apologising for the way you were created doesn't seem to quite fit? 

Now, by no means am I saying that it is never necessary to apologise. Or that we should all just liberally say and act as we feel and not care for others feelings. Of course not. We always need to care and love for one another, the Bible clearly tells us to do this. 

However, there definitely comes a point where you can apologise too much, for things that really don't need an apology.God created us all to think and act differently, that's why we are unique and why Psalm 139 speaks to our spirits. 

He made us all different so we can learn from one another, and that comes in all forms of: loving, rebuking, agreeing, disagreeing, conversing and so on. To live in a community and to live as a family means when those times of hurt or wrongdoing do come up, we apologise heartily and forgive. 

But in the meantime, if you're learning about this (as I still am!) don't apologise for who you are, what you believe in, what you stand for, things you have no control over. Express your love for your God to those around you, and if people misunderstand or misinterpret you, as long as you are right with your God in your heart, and you have apologised for what is necessary, don't apologise yourself away. Give Jesus away.

"To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless."
G. K. Chesterton

C.