A Beautiful Inheritance

It's absolutely astounding how much one's life can change in just one year... It blows my mind away. I keep wanting to reiterate that in 28 different ways, but I'll stop. This day, 1 year ago, I thought would change my life forever. Perhaps it did. Just not in the way I expected it to. My verse for this month has been Psalm 16:5-6 specifically for this day. It says...

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance."

I LOVE this verse. In the past year, I have gone through some of, if not the HARDEST things I've yet experienced. But I've chosen the Lord. HE is my portion. He is my sustenance. He gets me through each day. He's broken my heart with His love. He's taken me through the fire but not let me be burned. He's only refined me. It also says He holds my lot. MY LOT-- all the uncertainties, all the gambles, all the hidden things-- He has them ALL taken care of!! And the most beautiful part of it all? Each night as the dust begins to settle, I see where the lines have fallen and I can say that they have fallen in PLEASANT PLACES. I have the BEAUTIFUL inheritance. He is good. All of Him is everything my heart can desire.

Yes, this year has been hard, but I wouldn't ask to change it if I was given the option. I am confident that all of this is for my good. It is for my best. His love never fails. He's my Shepherd. My Love. And I am His...

My Sweet Community

One of the biggest blessings God has given me this past year was the community I found within Antioch Community Church. I can not say enough good things about the people I have met there and the leadership of the church. We recently moved from Sooner Theater to the Norman North performing arts center. Here are some pictures of our first Sunday along with some sweet times with my lifegroup so far this year = )


Koby and Heatherrrr

I don't know... Rachel being Rachel?

Bo being the Antioch poster child

Me and Julie!


Heather and Kevin making pancakes and eggs at Lifegroup = )

It was really cool because our lifegroup played kickball one Saturday and some other people joined us. That's Acts 2:42-27 in action = )



Jenny and Payton

Blue Genes

EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK.

I'm serious about this. It's an easy read and it sheds SO MUCH light on the issue of God, the church, and mental illness. It deals with anything from depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and even dreams. It was so eye-opening. I can't talk enough about this book. PLEASE everyone... Order this book and read it. Man... So good...

My Roomies

Thought it was about time to introduce you to my sweet roommates Koby and Rachel. They mean the world to me, and I am blessed beyond belief to be living with them this year. That's all for now but I wanted to share this picture and give a quick introduction! = )

Restorer of All Things

I was studying Joel this morning and God really rocked me with this verse. Building up to it God has sent two plagues of locusts to get the Israelites' attention. Then after telling them to repent, He says...

"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you... In those days I will pour out my Spirit." (Joel 2:25-26,29)

HE RESTORES ALL THINGS. Is this rocking you?? Every moment that seems wasted by trials, every pain that makes no sense, every night you spent crying- HE WILL RESTORE TO YOU. So praise His Name and be satisfied. He has dealt WONDROUSLY and He is pouring His Spirit out on you!! Live in that truth!

The Power of Words and the Wonder of God

Despite my crazy schedule, I've managed to finish another book that I will share with you all! I stumbled across it in the Second Baptist bookstore when I was in Houston visiting the Harrisons. It is a series of lectures given at a "Desiring God" conference that occurred in 2008 or 2009 I believe. Desiring God is a ministry run by John Piper whom I'm sure many of you have heard of. Anyway, each lecture focuses on some aspect of our words and how they relate to God. There are only 6 lectures- some which I enjoyed immensely and others which I honestly skimmed/skipped over. However, I'll try to give a brief synopsis of each...

(1.) "War of Words: Getting to the Heart for God's Sake" by Paul David Tripp

This lecture convicted me in a way I was in desperate need of convicting. Tripp points out that nothing you say wasn't already in your heart. We can't use the excuse that we didn't mean it because the Bible clearly states that the words of our mouth originate in our heart. He also knocks down the excuse that the problem isn't OUTSIDE us but INSIDE us. We always try to blame our words and actions on everyone and everything around us. He encourages you to make this "essential confession" of: "I am my greatest communication problem. The greatest difficulty, the greatest danger, and the everyday traps of communication that we all fall into all exist inside of me, not outside of me." He goes on to compare the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Self along with the anger that can be produced from each on separately. He is brutally honest about the effect our words can have on others- to build up or break down, sometimes permanently. He ends encouraging us to pray each day saying, "God, I'm a man (woman) in desperate need of help this morning. I pray in your grace that you would send your helpers my way. And I pray that you would give me the humility to receive the help that comes."

His lecture was engaging, convicting, and well written. Definitely in my top three favorite (possibly my very favorite actually).

(2.) "The Bit, the Bridle, and the Blessing: An Exposition of James 3:1-12" by Sinclair B. Ferguson

I don't believe I finished this one. It was in some ways getting at the same point as the above lecture, but it came at it differently. Once again two main points really got my attention...

"How we use our tongues provides clear evidence of where we are spiritually."

"Words can consume and destroy a life."

Yes, those two sentences are enough to make me be silent for a day. Man, break me Lord. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you!!

(3.) "Is There Christian Eloquence? Clear Words and the Wonder of the Cross" by John Piper

This lecture was very good for a certain audience. It was originally given to a room of pastors (i.e. the certain audience). It compares both historically and Biblically the different methods of preaching, and brings up the question of whether one should focus on eloquence.

(4.) "How Sharp the Edge? Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words" by Mark Driscoll

In the style of Driscoll, he provides a clear and upfront point of view. He outlines how to deal with the sheep, wolves, swine, and dogs of a congregation. He's famous for his "in your face" style, and he is no different in this lecture. That's something I (and many others) really appreciate about him though. He draws from Scripture along with historical figures such as Luther to make the point that we are not meant to gloss everything over. Sometimes we are called to rebuke others, and that doesn't just mean quietly. Sometimes it requires harshness and perhaps even mocking or harsh language (as is sometimes seen in the Bible). I know there is no way I will do his message justice without saying something he never meant so I encourage you to read this one! Like his other works, it will provide for some laughs. So relax and enjoy it but take it seriously as well! One quote that really stuck for me was "Discernment is knowing what time it is. Courage is doing what the time requires." Love it.

(5.) "Story-shaped Faith" by Daniel Taylor

A literary point of view of faith. Something I can really respect as a fellow appreciator of literature and the story form. He argues that you can make the proposition that "God is powerful" (etc..) but without a story that shows that statement to be true, it will hold little power.

"Belief is a whole-body, whole-life experience. No one believes anything important with the intellect alone... Reason is a powerful tool, bit it is a tool that will serve any master, including the most odoious. We do well to reason as clearly as we can, but we are foolish to pretend that reason alone or any other, single mental function can tell us what is true. what is important what to believe, or how to live... Stories and propositions need each other. Each provides a limit that the other must respect-- a kind of mutual check."

He argued many other really great points. I really enjoyed his lecture. But I can't hit on ALL the good stuff they all said...

(6.) "Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing" by Bob Kauflin

I'm sorry to say that I'm just getting a little bored with writing this BUT this was also a great lecture. He covers the importance of music and singing in the church. It's great... But really it is...



So all this to say.... It was a pretty interesting book... Sorry I've gotten so apathetic by the end of this!!