Florida

October 1 Emily and I went to the beach to watch sunrise, eat breakfast and read the Word. It was the best possible way to start the month! I am beyond blessed to have an encouraging, adventurous and godly housemate like her! Thank you Jesus!

Vilano Beach is a 15 minute drive from the apartment. This was a particularly windy evening around sunset. Every time the waves crashed my face was misted with ocean spray. I enjoyed that.

Friday night Bible Study at Panera Bread. Good food, meeting new friends and diving into God's Word! What could be better! I was really inspired by our study. Notice all the notes written on napkins.

Meet Tammie! She is one of my newest and most smiley friends! We were both really excited about the amazing salad she was working on.

We took a walk after lunch on a boardwalk near the Paris' home. Saw a small army of little crabs crossing the mud flats and was only mildly unnerved by the poisonous snake warning signs. We came out unscathed. :)

One day this week I ran into some bad traffic during a run to the post office. So I just took a detour over to the beach for a nice long walk as I waited for St. Augustine rush hour to die down. If only that was always an option when confronted with traffic jams!!

Promise Keeper

Picture a father tossing his kid up in the air as they giggle and laugh. Every time he throws his child into the air he makes a promise. The promise is this : "I will catch you". Every time the child lands safely back in his strong arms his promise is kept. He is a promise keeper and the little child knows it. Willingly, they continue free-falling into his arms, full of trust.

Recently God has been showing me how He is the ultimate Promise Keeper. Scripture is chalk full of promises! Promise upon promise! We are promised salvation , grace , wisdom , forgiveness , words in season , perfect peace , strength and more. I am well acquainted with many of these promises , however God has to take me back to spiritual kindergarten sometimes. This is the simple , yet profound thought God has been teaching me lately.

It is not I but Christ. Everything. Every single thing. I am helpless. There is no good thing in me. The only good thing in me is Jesus. He is my salvation , my joy , my life. As the verse says in Galatians 2: 20 "it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me". It is by His power and sacrifice that I am both saved AND kept.

In Jeremiah 31: 33 God promises to write His law on our minds and make it part of our being. In Leviticus 20: 8 He says He will sanctify us. In Jude verse 24 He promises to keep us from falling into sin. Similarly, 1 John 3: 9 promises that if we are abiding in Christ we cannot sin...we CAN NOT be snatched out of His hand. Our victory is assured.

Now, if God is the Promise Maker, doesn't it make sense He would be the Promise Keeper? When I honestly evaluate my thoughts, actions and motives I realize how often I try to keep the promises God makes. Eagerly I commit myself whole-heartedly to Him and head out to "finish" His work in the world and my life. If only I would recognize the impossibility of this. Maybe then I would be reminded to seek constant connection to my only Source of Power and Victory.

I cannot save a soul...apart from the Savior. I cannot live victoriously...apart from the Victor. No more than a branch can continue living when cut off from the tree. I am nothing. It is literally God dwelling in me, doing the impossible.
To the end of time, He will be my everything. My fate will be eternally secure only because I have settled into my dependence on Christ and cannot be moved from my place of refuge.

Yes, I am ask to free-fall into my Heavenly Father's arms, but He has kept every promise He ever made. He is the Promise Keeper and He's got me.

Psalm 4 : 8

photo credit: stock.xchng

New Digs

As promised to some friends, here is a look at my new apartment.

View from my window. See the pretty water?!

This is our very own "Lake of Shining Waters", in the words of Anne Shirley. ;)

I'm pretty happy with it!

Recent Adventures

A few pic's from the recent family trips to Colorado and Jekyll Island.

My beautiful mother!

Packing Fatigue

Moving is hard. Sorting and packing has me a little ragged. I need to remember Who is in control and has my back. This song always calms me and reminds me of my ultimate Comforter. I put up a pic of my dog because she often lays her head on my chest and heaves a big sigh, which makes me think of this song for obvious reasons.

I Am

Oh gently lay your head
Upon my chest
And I will comfort you
Like a mother while you rest
The tide can change so fast,
But I will stay
The same through the past,
The same in future, same today

CHORUS:
I am constant; I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy; I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires

Oh weary, tired and worn,
Let out your sighs
And drop that heavy load you hold
Cause Mine is light

I know you through and through;
There's no need to hide
I want to show you love
That is deep and high and wide

by Jill Phillips

Hot and Cold

I'm sick. Every other moment I'm either diving under piles of blankets or crawling out sweltering hot! There is nothing lukewarm about it. It's not a very stellar feeling at all. Sometimes I think I feel both hot AND cold. My body can't seem to decided.

Just this morning I was reading Revelation 3 about the lukewarm church. God said He would prefer them to be either hot or cold. Guess God decided to allow me to have a real life example of what it feels like. It's intense!

Although I am REALLY hoping not to stay feverish physically, I want to be all the way "hot" for God.

Wonder

Recently I went on a early morning hike up a mountain with a group of youth to watch the sunrise. I remember the moment I caught sight of the horizon...I was amazed. There are no words at those moments, just worshipful amazement and wonder.

I am amazed and in wonder of many thing about my God. His love is almost incomprehensible and His surprise gifts so unexplainable. The ways God directs my path is unbelievable, but the record is there to prove it is in fact believable. Daily , God's providence astounds me. My mind can't fully grasp it, but I am content to remain in wonder of the mystery.

"Truth in Christ and through Christ is measureless...The most diligent searcher will see before him a boundless, shoreless sea. The truth as it is in Jesus can be experienced, but never explained. It's height and breadth, and depth pass our knowledge."
~ EGW COL 128, 129

This quote makes me feel wonder and awe. In the walk of faith we, finite beings, are constantly in the presence of the Infinite and in communion with the Beginning and Ending of all things. Amazement, wonder, unbelievable, astounding...how else can I express the mystery , love and truth of our God?!