Set Apart

This morning I was doing my devotions and listening to my praise music. I had laid down my Bible and was reflecting on the message the song I was listening to. Soon I found myself swaying while sitting cross-legged. As I swayed to-and-fro I couldn't help but smile. How difficult is it to explain the sensation of God's love residing in you and you knowing and believing it to be true? Not too simple. Now why am I chatting about swaying and God's love? Well I had to ask myself the same thing, what does swaying and love mean to me? It could mean something different to each and every one of us, but this is what I believe God told me.

He reminded me of my first days of a babysitter. What would I do to a young child who needed comfort from me? I'd scoop them in my arms and rock back and forth, whispering comfort to their ear. While I held them I could feel their little bodies relax and their tears stopped and soon they were smiling at me from their perch.

I remember in one of my CPR classes, or babysitting class one lady told us girls that a baby felt more comfortable in our arms because it reminded them of being in the womb. That's where they first started out, that was their first home. If you've ever had the chance to move to a new home does it feel foreign to you at first? Then slowly over time take the place of your old home? It does to me. And to the babies they haven't had time to get used to this new world or place, to be reminded of their first home is a comfort.

Now I ask you to use your imagination with me. Picture yourselves the crying baby, or young child in desperate need of comfort. Then here comes our Heavenly Father. His strong and loving arms enfold around us, scooping us off in the ground and into his embrace. We might be crying, we might be hurt but His gentle whispers come into our ears. Each whisper assures us of His undying affection towards US. When He sways us back and forth our cares and anxieties disappear as our focus turns from ourselves and onto HIM. We are being cradled in the arms of God! I'm getting excited just thinking about it! But here's the best part, we only needed to give one sigh and God is right there. He's always there! Ready to comfort, ready to support and give strength. He loves us so much! If you doubt this just ask our fellow heir, Jesus Christ. He will vouch the genuine love of our Heavenly Father.

Isaiah 40:11 has this to say about our Father: "He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will father the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."

I personally love that picture.

When I sway during worship, or my personal devotions I can say that I believe God arms are around me. All the truth I was singing, or reading is true, and God has revealed a little more of Himself to me. I can feel the love swirling around me, bubbling over and spilling onto my being. Sort of like a jacuzzi. The main thing is though it's God's love I'm catching. His love is contagious! Well if you can get sick with God's love, I want to catch as many germs as I possibly can!

So now I'm lifting my hands to the Father in praise and worship. Sometimes our reactions need to be different. Submission to His will, casting our burdens on His shoulders, or praising his Holy Name. But God's arms never grow weary, He delights to be our strength and peace. He delights to be our Father!

Posted in: Savannah on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at at 12:31 PM 5 comments  

We all have our own way of being encouraged on a daily basis. Bible verses are tucked inside a little notebook you carry around all the time. Your Bible itself is the size of a little notebook. Or numerous verses and quotes are plastered to your wall. The latter is my method.

Throughout the day, my eyes will wander over my walls and read a specific verse or quote I have pasted there. I'll nod my head and think it's a good verse, I'm glad to have put it up there.

But yesterday something changed. I sat in my chair and read all of the verses and quotes. Going from wall to wall. But God did something different this time. Instead of me going from each one to the other, after I read a verse, God would take me back to the moment to when I had put it up. Tears could have been streaming down my face when I put up a truth about God being a shelter. Or I could have been rejoicing to know no chains are worn in the courts of the Most High. Every quote and verse had a story.

Then God did something else. Not only did he show me my circumstances when I had put those notes of encouragement on my walls, but He also showed me how He had delivered me from them. Each verse tells a story of God's faithfulness. A time when He revealed something about Himself to me.

God is so faithful! Thank you Lord for giving me a reason to smile and worhsip you with my WHOLE heart! You are an awesome Heavenly Father who delights to serve His little children.

So take a look at your own wall, or highlighted Bible, or little notebook. Ask God to reveal what was going on while you highlighted that verse, or pasted that quote. Then pray He would help you remember how he was faithful in that situation. As you hear time after time God has heard your plea and helped you take time to praise Him! Shout at the top of your lungs about His goodness, dance around your room in praise. God smiles down as he watches.

Posted in: Savannah on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at at 12:37 PM 1 comments  

We, the Set-Apart Staff, as not only authors of this blog,but also as friends, have a lot to be thankful for during this holiday of Thanksgiving, and here are somethings, in no particular order, off the top of our head things we are thankful for:

Savannah
- I'm thankful that this is the second Thanksgiving I get to eat what everyone else is eating.
- I'm thankful for my grandparent's taking the time to drive up from FL to be with us.
- I'm thankful for getting my driver's permit.
- I'm thankful for the growth that has taken place in my relationship with the Lord.
- I'm thankful that my whole house is healthy.
- I'm thankful that our house is clean.
- I'm thankful for the Lord's loving kindness to me and my family.

I could go on and on about what I'm thankful for but these are the biggies.



Heidi
* I'm very thankful for my wonderful Savior, Jesus and His saving work in my life.

* I'm thankful for my Sister being home this week.

* I'm thankful for my family.

* I'm thankful for God's grace when I need it most, every moment of every day.

* I'm thankful that God holds tomorrow, that I don't have to worry about what I'll do after graduation, or what will happen.

* I'm thankful for good health.

* I'm thankful for amazing friends who help me see my weaknesses and encourage me.




Annie
I'm thankful that God put the idea for this blog in Heidi's mind and heart, and that she shared it with me, and both of us together, with the addition of Savannah, created this blog.
I'm thankful God can work through us through our writings.
I'm thankful for the people who read this blog.
I'm thankful that God has been SO faithful to continue to teach me new things.
I'm thankful that I've survived, and prospered in my first ever college class, with God's obvious help, because, I'm pretty sure without His assistance, I wouldn't have done it.
I'm thankful for the church family God has provided for me.
I'm thankful for all of my friends, who have,and still do, challenge me in my walk with God.
I'm thankful,and humbled by the fact,that even though I totally don't deserve it, God loves me.




Psalm 100:1-5

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!

Know the the Lord, He is God! It is he who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name!

For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever; and His faithfulness to all generations.

Posted in: Annie, Heidi, Savannah, Thanksgiving on Monday, December 1, 2008 at at 9:05 AM 2 comments  

It's amazing how much time we spend making a to-do list, and exactly how many people follow that list? Well if you are like me, you make your to-do list, feel proud about how organized you are, then fail to follow it.

But when I'm thinking of my many uncompleted lists, I'm reminded of how God will always complete his list for me. And he doesn't care if it "clashes" with my schedule or not. Because compared to His great plan, getting to a movie on time is not even close to a good excuse.

I was running around doing errands with my Mom, and we were talking about my week, or I was. And I was ranting about how much I've had to do this week. I personally love being busy, but this week had been challenging for me. Being sick while being busy doesn't mix that well, but it pushed me to trust in God's sustaining grace, and to find peace in him. Getting off subject here, sorry.

But as I was saying what I had planned for the next couple days, my Mom just looked at me with a smile and said, "That sounds like a good plan, but don't you know God's planning to make it rain?" This made me stop, most of the stuff I had planned was outside. How would that work? It wouldn't, I would be forced to forget all about myself and my life, and to see that God was going to water His Creation. And as I write this, guess what the weather is doing? Raining.

James 4:13-24 says, "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

And with that note I encourage you to hold loosely to your plans, because God will most likely have his way with you.

Posted in: Savannah on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at at 4:30 PM 0 comments  

Isn't it easy to wake up in the morning and the last thing you feel like doing is opening the Bible? You'd rather turn on the laptop, or start off where you finished in your exciting book. It's really easy to be drawn to things that just keep us away from God. Joshua 24:15 says: "Choose this day whom ye will serve." (KJV)

It's one thing to say,"I will serve the Lord today", then to actually do it. Do you feel completely satisfied when you do something that may be keeping you from fellowship with God? In my example,I was desiring the Internet more than God. Things that compete with Christ look so appealing and lovely.

John Piper says in his book, "When I Don't Desire God": ""Deceitful desires" can trick us into feeling that sinful thoughts and acts will be more satisfying than seeing God. This illusion is so strong it creates moral confusion, so that people find ways to justify sin as good, or, if not good, at least permissible."

I don't know about you but I have certainly more than a few times in my life tried to justify sin in my life to make me "feel" better about it. I encourage you to pray that God will help you with this battle to find a master. And I hope you choose the Master who does not create empty promises but fulfills them tenfold.

Posted in: Savannah on Saturday, July 12, 2008 at at 9:47 AM 2 comments  

Set Apart is finally up and running! Well, sort of. It's amazing what happens when two girls think of an idea for a blog. I'm just going to say it was not my idea to make this, but I happily agreed and I'm very excited to see what God does with this opportunity. So what has been decided is there will be three main writers/posters: Annie, Heidi and myself. But we will have guest writers who submit some posts as well. It will be really sweet. So what's God saying to you?

~Savvy J

Posted in: Savannah on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at at 8:18 PM 3 comments