Set Apart

Some girls growing up hearing they look like their Mom. Well, I'm one of the few who look a little more like their Dad. Along with looking like him, to a degree, I also take after him in certain areas in my life.

My Dad is a "order person". A place for everything and everything in it's place. Alphabetizing, color-coded, sorted by size, you name it, my Dad likes it.

In this way, I am a LOT like him. I like order. When everything is EXACTLY where it's supposed to be and I am able to find things,that is my paradise. Disorganization and chaos are my battle ground.

Savannah brought up recently and, after discussing things over with the Set-Apart staff, that as nice as it is to having our own schedule, it isn't very inclusive to God working. It's easy for me to say, "Okay this person writes this day and this person writes this", but what happens if someone has a word from God two days before they are scheduled to write something? It simply isn't doing well to put off for tomorrow what you can do today!

So, we've decided, as a group, to let God do the scheduling. This isn't a easy task for me to relinquish, but I realize the God of infinite and beyond has a better grasp of time lines than I could EVER have.

Hopefully, with this change in our workings, it will decrease any stress from knowing of an impending deadline for a post, and INCREASE our rest and availability of our heart to post when something is suddenly brought on by God.

Posted in: Annie, Member on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at at 8:47 AM 4 comments  

Recently I was talking with a few friends about another friend of ours when an older girl entered the conversation. Immediately she pointed out how out unkind our words were. Even though we were just joking around, I realized how unnecessary and nasty what we were saying was.

Immediately Ephesians 4:29 jumped into my mind.
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."

I have realized how infrequently I consider what I say about and to people. I am now striving to apply Philippians 4:8 to how and what I talk about. "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

Posted in: Words on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at at 12:38 PM 2 comments  

When I share my testimony of what God's done in my life with healing, usually the first response I get is, "You are really good at trusting God!" or something like, "I could never have done that!" I've never been good a replying to compliments so usually a simple thank you is my reply.

But even though people say I'm good a trusting God, I still need so much help in this area. I struggled to trust God's plan during my trials, and now being fully healed I still struggle with trusting God.I get very worked up about so many little things and my Mom usually has to step in and knock some sense in me. With words not her fist. She tells me that by being fearful about my life means I'm sinning against God. I'm not trusting His perfect plan for my life, just because of what? A little test I need to take.

God PROMISES never to give us a task we can't handle. And when you think about it, God has never made a promise he didn't keep. Not convinced? Look at the Bible, it is overflowing with examples of God keeping promises. For example: Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a child even when they were in old age. Sure, they had to wait a while, but then Isaac gets in the picture. Still not convinced? What about Jesus' story? God promised He would save men from His holy wrath. And here He sends His only Son, to be our substitute. Only one word, wow. To keep His promise God killed His Son.

God is our shepherd, and we, are the sheep. We are smelly, and not that smart. We need someone to take care of us because we run away, eat things that are bad for us, and believe foes are friends. God doesn't tire of taking care of us though, He LOVES to take care of his flock.

Charles Spurgeon writes: "It is said, "He[God] will stand and shepherd;" not "He will feed now then leave His position;" not, "He will for one day grant a revival and then on the next day leave His church to barrenness." His eyes never slumber, and His hands never rest; His heart never ceases to beat with love, and His shoulders are never weary of carrying His peoples burdens."I urge you today to trust God, the Father whose 'heart never ceases to beat with love,' that love is directed to you. You can't help resisting to trust a Father who promises to take care of you.

So with that I'll end with Psalm 56:3-4:
"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?"

God bless you.

Posted in: on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at at 3:31 PM 0 comments  

I had a thought today. This thought took my breath away. Thinking about my life, and others in my church, some of us are a lot alike in our way of getting to our church family. Some of us came reluctantly. Most of us didn't know what we were getting into,and who we would be encountering. Wondered if these people would be weird or normal. Then walking in, looking around at the masses ,thinking, wishing ,and hoping we weren't there. Wanting to run back to where we began and not have to do this. But there we were, standing by ourselves, when all of a sudden appears a person with a warm smile, friendly handshake, eye contact and an introduction. From there starts a conversation, and from that conversation brings acquaintance, and from that acquaintance, after time comes friendship. If not already, a sister or brother-in-Christ.

If you have never been in the position of being "new" at a church, I'll tell you from my personal experience it's quite frightening. Imagine being in a room where you literally know no one, and being with groups of individuals who have been friends with each other from the beginning of time. It makes you feel SO small and out of place, but when someone takes notice and actually says "Hi" it makes a difference,
believe it or not.

That one person by extending their hand is doing a lot more than greeting. They are exhibiting love and kindness in acknowledging the other individuals existence and wanting to get to know them.

There is a saying that goes,"You may be the only 'Jesus' they see". Little things we do and say often times go further than we know. So next time you see someone you kinda know or don't know, go up and talk to them!

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" Hebrews 13:2

Posted in: Annie, Member on Saturday, August 16, 2008 at at 12:57 PM 0 comments  

"It is good to give thanks to the LORD And sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your loving kindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night, with the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, with resounding music upon the lyre. For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands."
Psalm 92:1-4

These verses sum up what is has been on my heart this week. This last weekend I was in a production of Peter Pan which meant I was with some very dear friends all the time for several weeks. Now that it's over I've been looking back at that time and realizing how incredibly blessed I am and how God put his hand on the whole play, doing what we couldn't.

This morning I took a piece of paper and scribbled down all the things from Peter Pan that I am thankful for. Here are a few snippets.

* Annie and Savannah writing for me over and over while I was busy

* My drama friends always praying for me and encouraging me to have my quiet times with God

* Our Choreographer: Rachel's wisdom and patience when I didn't get the dances

* Sweet times of worship all through the day

* The older teens who led devotionals every morning, speaking truth to us.

* I lost my voice during one of the dress rehearsals, but with prayer and rest I could sing for the actual shows.

The list goes on and on but ya'll get the picture.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."

Posted in: thankfulness on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at at 8:48 AM 1 comments  

Whilst on my vacation to Massachusetts I went to Prayer Meeting at the A's church. The sermonette preached before the adults and the teens split up was on 1 Peter 1:18---2:2. While the speaker was reading these verses out loud,this verse stood out to me:

1 Peter 1:22
"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love for the brethren,love one another fervently with a pure heart," (NKJV)

Then hearing it repeated again,the word fervently. Love one another FERVENTLY. The dictionary definition of fervent is:
1.Having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.
2.Hot; burning; glowing.

In loving each other we're not called to be lukewarm, half-way or cold. We're to love each other with hot, burning, glowing love. The same love we've been shown by God. If we do not love one another,how can the world see us as set apart?

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Another thing that dawned upon me while in Massachusetts came when we went to the beach.

Driving through a neighborhood near the beach, I noticed all the gorgeous houses next to the amazing view of the sea. Those highly valued houses have people living in them. People who possibly look at the gorgeous view of the blue sea as something that came together by chance. People whose greatest boast is in their house by the sea.

All too soon though,if ever a hurricane or a tornado to come along, goodbye life, goodbye house, goodbye pride. Where would they find hope? Where would they find peace? Where would they turn to find answers?

Oh, how incredibly different would they be!

Posted in: Annie, guest on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at at 3:18 PM 0 comments  

I'm a details person. Having observed one person enough for an extended amount of time, I am prone to find a tendency or a habit in them, that would otherwise be bypassed by others. (Often times this is seen as a bit stalkerish, but I promise I'm not, LOL) Such as how they stand, what words they say regularly, who they hang out with or what kind of shoes they wear. Along with physical habits, there are spiritual habits to take notice of.

When an obvious pattern of sin becomes prevalent in peoples lives,often I wonder how they themselves go along in life and not notice such a big, yellow "sin ahead" caution sign each time around. I think,"Oh, how stupid of them, they should have seen that coming....again. I mean,come on,it's RIGHT in front of their face!". But then after reading Adam's post on The Sinfulness Of Sin and talking about the topic with him for a bit, something he said in our conversation went off in my head like a bright exclamation point.

"They can't see their sin because they are blinded by it."

Having thought about it,it makes SO much sense! If we are blinded by darkness,how can we see the light? If we cannot even see the light in comparison to the dark, how can we know the difference between the two?

John 3:19
This is the verdict:Light has come into the world,but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that in it may be seen plainly that what he had done has been done through God.(NIV)

Recurring sin darkens our view. Satan can put scales on our eyes after some time and make us unable to discern at all. These scales once implemented,do not come off easily. Pleading family and friends won't take them off, getting caught won't take them off, neither will punishment. No, the only One who holds the power to undo what the Master of Darkness has devised is the far greater Master of Light,our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who died and rose again so that there would be freedom from our sin!

Romans 8:1-4 says,
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us,who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. (NLT)

If you find yourself,or a friend struggling with a pattern of sin,remember, there is NO sin that binds you that God cannot break.
God holds the power. Pray and ask Him to conquer that area in your life.

I'll leave you with this verse,
James 5:15
And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he had committed sins, he will be forgiven.(ESV)

Posted in: Adam, Annie, guest, Member on Saturday, August 2, 2008 at at 12:01 PM 0 comments