"And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10
Good song--inspiring! You should take a listen :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Be Lifted or Hope Rising
Job Chapter 1. It is amazing. Read it. I know, I know you know the story.
Read it again. Go deeper.
It is life changing.
First of all, we just read in Job that Satan is roaming around the earth among God's people looking for oppertunities to be a hinderance. (On the same note, 1 Peter 5:8 also says: "Be of sober spirit, be on alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls arund like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.")
Then in verse 8, scripture says: "The Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.'"
I think this is neat, in His own almighty way, that God initiated the testing of Job. It is mind blowing, to me, that such a gracious God would initatie such a thing, but in a way these trials we are put through are a gift, using suffering to purify us and prove us faithful. This ultimately should make our faith stronger so that we may delight in the Lord. It's a hard concept to grasp, but it is so neat.
In verse 11 Satan tells God: "..he will surely curse You to Your face." which is so awesome because Job doesn't. He rejoices in verse 21: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord"!
The devil, the world, they would LOVE to see us fall. They delight in our struggles. But if we keep faith and use those struggles to ultimately make our faith stronger, they lose...Satan loses.
What is even more mind blowing is that in verse 22 it says that through everything he went through, Job didn't even sin! Can you even imagine?!
If you know me well enough, you probably know that one of my favorite chapters in scripture is James 1. Verses 2-4, which I'm sure you will hear me refer to a million more times in the years to come, says: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Here we have it--the result of endurance is PERFECTION. And just in case you didn't know, the Greek word translated as perfect in the passage means "mature, developed fully." Which I think is a neat way to think of God's meaning of perfection as "fully developed" and not our own worldly idea of perfect.
Another of my favorite passages is Romans 5:1-5 and it says "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. (and here's my favorite part...!) And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, know that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
I LOVE that. So basically in a nutshell:
Tribulation --> Perseverance --> Character --> HOPE (that does not disappoint!!)
I don't know if it's just me, but I think this verse is so cool. Because GOd assures us that we can have reason to hope.
So I know this was really long, but these passages never get old to me and I always can find encouragement with them, so I thought I'd share the wealth.
What is even more mind blowing is that in verse 22 it says that through everything he went through, Job didn't even sin! Can you even imagine?!
If you know me well enough, you probably know that one of my favorite chapters in scripture is James 1. Verses 2-4, which I'm sure you will hear me refer to a million more times in the years to come, says: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Here we have it--the result of endurance is PERFECTION. And just in case you didn't know, the Greek word translated as perfect in the passage means "mature, developed fully." Which I think is a neat way to think of God's meaning of perfection as "fully developed" and not our own worldly idea of perfect.
Another of my favorite passages is Romans 5:1-5 and it says "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. (and here's my favorite part...!) And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, know that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
I LOVE that. So basically in a nutshell:
Tribulation --> Perseverance --> Character --> HOPE (that does not disappoint!!)
I don't know if it's just me, but I think this verse is so cool. Because GOd assures us that we can have reason to hope.
So I know this was really long, but these passages never get old to me and I always can find encouragement with them, so I thought I'd share the wealth.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Holiday
Christmas Break is already 1 week old, and I have spent 1 week with no To Do List and have survived quite nicely. Shocker? I think so. However, I think I am going to go nuts without some sort of goals for the rest of the break. So rather than a "To Do List," I will make a list of goals:
1. Finish the book I started, "The Hole In Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns.
2. Lose 6 pounds (Is that even possible to do between Thanksgiving and New Years? I guess I'll find out.)
3. Spend some time writing: Send out letters, journal, and perhaps even write a blog or two.
4. Sell something semi-valuable on Ebay. Easy money.
5. Play tennis. "It's too cold" is a really great excuse sometimes, but it shouldn't stop me from playing.
6. Art. I want to make some art to sell at Discovery. Or to give as gifts. I just want to make use of all the useless crap I compulsively buy at Hobby Lobby.
That's a start. And without mentioning my goals for Mario Kart. Oh wait..
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tear Down The Walls
Hillsong United, a group of worship leaders who have led and inspired millions across the globe, got it right tonight: “If what we do inside these 4 walls doesn’t make a difference in the streets we travelled to get here, we’ve missed the point.”
I walked out of the theater almost 3 hours ago and I am still trying to process everything I saw tonight, everything I felt tonight. One thing I do know is that God has broken my heart in all the right places tonight.
One of the things I was awakened to tonight was that Jesus didn't die so we could experience religion, He died so we could experience love:
“I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream!” Amos 5:21-24
“And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
“What you do unto the least of these you do unto me" Matthew 25:40
"Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." James 1:26-27
It is so easy to put myself, my self-seeking ambition, above all else in life. So far, my success has been the most important thing in my life 99% of the time. Another truth revealed tonight is this: "The human race is no race at all- its not a competition..."
What would it look like if our eyes were open to the fact that we’re not in a racing to beat the other guy. We are all in this together. Living life and glorifying God is about living in community and in fellowship, about loving and helping out our brother and our neighbor.
One question asked in this film was this: “When you ‘help’ people, do you pull them up from where they are... or do you sit down with them?”
This was convicting. And humbling. Because for the people who are even qualified to answer that question (am I? who have I helped lately?) I imagine a majority could honestly reply with the first answer, myself included. I tend to have a “know all” approach to most things in life, when there is a lot I really don’t know because I have been blinded. It seems that my eyes have been closed to the reality around me. But growing up in church my whole life by no means result in knowing everything. In fact, I have been highly naive to what has been going on in the world. How have I missed this all this time?
“Christians are known for the things we stand against but the things we stand against are so petty compared to everything going on in the world.”
I know that I am suppose to do something amazing with my life, what a life changing film. I am inspired and ready to spread the love. I left speechless, feeling helpless in the giant face of poverty, loneliness and deep need, but at the same time I am so full of hope for what could be.
It is time that I get out of my comfort zone and do what is commanded of me. Nelson Mandela once said that “bravery is not the absence of fear, but the overcoming of it.”
So long status-quo, I think I just let go. You make me want to be brave. (Nichole Nordeman)
Basically...I'm excited, humbled, ready, open, heartbroken and hopeful.
(Written on 11/4)
I walked out of the theater almost 3 hours ago and I am still trying to process everything I saw tonight, everything I felt tonight. One thing I do know is that God has broken my heart in all the right places tonight.
One of the things I was awakened to tonight was that Jesus didn't die so we could experience religion, He died so we could experience love:
“I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream!” Amos 5:21-24
“And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
“What you do unto the least of these you do unto me" Matthew 25:40
"Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." James 1:26-27
It is so easy to put myself, my self-seeking ambition, above all else in life. So far, my success has been the most important thing in my life 99% of the time. Another truth revealed tonight is this: "The human race is no race at all- its not a competition..."
What would it look like if our eyes were open to the fact that we’re not in a racing to beat the other guy. We are all in this together. Living life and glorifying God is about living in community and in fellowship, about loving and helping out our brother and our neighbor.
One question asked in this film was this: “When you ‘help’ people, do you pull them up from where they are... or do you sit down with them?”
This was convicting. And humbling. Because for the people who are even qualified to answer that question (am I? who have I helped lately?) I imagine a majority could honestly reply with the first answer, myself included. I tend to have a “know all” approach to most things in life, when there is a lot I really don’t know because I have been blinded. It seems that my eyes have been closed to the reality around me. But growing up in church my whole life by no means result in knowing everything. In fact, I have been highly naive to what has been going on in the world. How have I missed this all this time?
“Christians are known for the things we stand against but the things we stand against are so petty compared to everything going on in the world.”
I know that I am suppose to do something amazing with my life, what a life changing film. I am inspired and ready to spread the love. I left speechless, feeling helpless in the giant face of poverty, loneliness and deep need, but at the same time I am so full of hope for what could be.
It is time that I get out of my comfort zone and do what is commanded of me. Nelson Mandela once said that “bravery is not the absence of fear, but the overcoming of it.”
So long status-quo, I think I just let go. You make me want to be brave. (Nichole Nordeman)
Basically...I'm excited, humbled, ready, open, heartbroken and hopeful.
(Written on 11/4)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Falling In Love In A Coffee Shop
As I pour my morning coffee, I close my eyes and breath in the heaping steam that arises from my mug. The smell of hazelnut envelops inside of my nostrils. Delighted, I grip the sides of my cup with my two hands and a rush of warmth is immediately sent throughout my entire body. My coffee, however, is not quite sweet enough to drink just yet.
Fixing my cup of coffee is always a pleasant way to start out my day. When I pour the International Delight into my cup, I love to watch the fluffy cloud of creamer form in my coffee. When I pour the Splenda into my cup, I love to watch the tiny crystals sparkle at me as they make their way to the bottom. When I stir my coffee, I love to see the different tones of brown marbleize, only to form a solid golden color. My coffee, however, is not quite cool enough to drink just yet. I patiently wait, absorbing every possible part of the coffee experience.
Ironically, the anticipation I am filled with while my coffee cools off is almost as great as the actual taste of it when it is finally ready to drink. The sweet smell of my coffee is so good, that I am often tempted to drink of it before it is cooled. The few times that I do drink my coffee while it is too hot, the heat will burn my tongue. This impatience ultimately takes away the great pleasures of my coffee experience. Sadly, coffee just doesn’t taste quite as lovely when my taste buds are scorched. For those other times that I am patient enough for my coffee to cool, the satisfying taste in my mouth is so much greater than it was the morning before.
In the simplest way, God has opened my eyes to see the simple beauty in life and also the simple beauty in obedience. Patience is one virtue that is so often ignored, but when it became a living reality in my life, I had an entire new level of understanding of God himself. God, after all, calls us to be patient in love. He has showed me not only how to appreciate this truth, but he has also taught me to embrace sacred waiting. For it is cherishing the waiting season of life that we learned to fully appreciate and take delight in the receiving seasons. In the third chapter of Ecclesiastes I learned that there is a sacred and appointed time for everything in God’s kingdom. It is the time in which everything can be made fully appreciated and fully enjoyed.
This brings me back to my morning coffee. I am so thankful for the anticipation because everything that is appreciated is something that was first anticipated. And trust me when I tell you that my hazelnut coffee is a much anticipated part of my day. Coffee is one of those simple things in life that can turn just another morning into a good morning, or even turn a good morning into a great one. Those simple things in life are not only what I live for, but what I learn from.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Marvelous Things
I got bored last night and decided to work on a little art project. Since I am getting ready to move into a new apartment in about a month with a FULL KITCHEN, I have been eager to put together a recipe book with my mom this summer.
Here is the front of my homemade recipe book for my new apartment!!
Here is the front of my homemade recipe book for my new apartment!!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Breakaway
I have decided to welcome self-expression back into my life. I tend to bottle things up inside of me. I suppose I might fall into the obsessive compulsive category--I like to hide my flaws for the fear of me unveiling the multiple imperfections I am defined by.
I used to draw, paint, sketch. I love art, but I used to love it more. It was hard for me in high school to share the same studio as nationally awarded, world class artists and know that I would never be an artist with their skill level. While I love to do art for fun, I am not passionate enough about it to spend all of my time trying to be better. I not only got discouraged, but burnt out. It has been a year now since I have opened a sketchbook. However, I think I want to do art again. I fear that ,instead of calming me like I hope art will do, it will stress me out and I will just quit again.
Art is not the only hobby I have dropped due to the fear of not consistently producing a masterpiece. Writing, something I used to be highly passionate about, has kind of made its way out of my life throughout the years. Writing used to define who I am; I used to be so good at journaling in a way that released my sweet emotions, my sour emotions. I would inspire people with my words. I thrived on that. What happened? I put off my next journal entry until I had the time to sit down and type a flawless piece of literature. Well guess what, I never got the time. Ever. I started many blogs and never finished them. "Why would anybody want to read this?" But it's not about just anybody. It's about me. This is about me.
I am Morgan and this blog is about me. It is an outlet for my love and my hate, my fears and my dreams. This is a place for me to be completely transparent and to spill open just as I am. No edits allowed. This is me. And I hope you appreciate this journey into my messy, thrilling life.
Morgan
p.s. If you're lucky, I may get around to posting some newly created art !
I used to draw, paint, sketch. I love art, but I used to love it more. It was hard for me in high school to share the same studio as nationally awarded, world class artists and know that I would never be an artist with their skill level. While I love to do art for fun, I am not passionate enough about it to spend all of my time trying to be better. I not only got discouraged, but burnt out. It has been a year now since I have opened a sketchbook. However, I think I want to do art again. I fear that ,instead of calming me like I hope art will do, it will stress me out and I will just quit again.
Art is not the only hobby I have dropped due to the fear of not consistently producing a masterpiece. Writing, something I used to be highly passionate about, has kind of made its way out of my life throughout the years. Writing used to define who I am; I used to be so good at journaling in a way that released my sweet emotions, my sour emotions. I would inspire people with my words. I thrived on that. What happened? I put off my next journal entry until I had the time to sit down and type a flawless piece of literature. Well guess what, I never got the time. Ever. I started many blogs and never finished them. "Why would anybody want to read this?" But it's not about just anybody. It's about me. This is about me.
I am Morgan and this blog is about me. It is an outlet for my love and my hate, my fears and my dreams. This is a place for me to be completely transparent and to spill open just as I am. No edits allowed. This is me. And I hope you appreciate this journey into my messy, thrilling life.
Morgan
p.s. If you're lucky, I may get around to posting some newly created art !
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