Mysterious Ways of God

We don't and can't see the big picture, so we're called to trust.
Even when it hurts. Even when things don't "make sense" from our point of view.

Poet William Cowper knew that well, and with grace he penned the words of the hymn "God Moves in a Mysterious Way."
It continues to be one of my favourites hymns because it outlines so clearly how God's ways are beyond our ways, yet how there is purpose and precision in His perfect plans.

I have taken the liberty to underline my favourite lines.

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Providence and Sovereignty

Providence. God’s “seeing before” and upholding of all things.
Sovereignty. God’s perfect and complete control of all things.
God’s perfect, rich, almighty, all-knowing plan, for the Glory of His name.

The riches of God have been so clearly revealed to me again through His Word and His gracious, gentle guiding. My heart bursts as I reflect on the past few days and the ways the Lord has again been instructing me, purifying me, and drawing me closer to Himself for His purpose and glory.

I stand amazed at this awesome God, Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider.

God’s Providence and Sovereignty are going to be my “theme” for 2009. I’m not really sure what that means since I’ve never had a “theme” for my blog before, but it has been made clear that I need to dwell further upon and delight further in our God as the great Provider.

* Recognizing, confessing, and enjoying God’ Sovereignty was the theme of the church service I attended with a friend on Jan 1st.
* God’s Providence and control in our lives was the theme of the LOGOS conference I attended Jan 1st-3rd.
* God’s Sovereignty was emphasized in my home church this morning.
* Even driving to church this morning, the song playing was "You Reign" by Mercy Me, which is about God’s Lordship over life and creation.

I look forward to reflecting upon, wrestling with, and praising the Sovereignty of God!

May this moment, day, and year be one infused with purposeful living, for the glory of God the Father.

(Please note: the descriptions of Providence and Sovereignty at the beginning are not meant to be definitions....I will expound over time).

the riches of Scripture memorization

I have always been convinced of the great importance and the great joy of memorizing Scripture. Therefore, I really appreciated John Piper's reflection from Dec. 8th Why Memorize Scripture?

Here are the key points of the blessings / "benefits" of memorizing Scripture:

1) Conformity to Christ

2) Daily Triumph over Sin

3) Daily Triumph over Satan

4) Comfort and Counsel for People You Love

5) Communicating the Gospel to Unbelievers

6) Communion with God in the Enjoyment of His Person and Ways

May we continue to grow by being grounded in God's word!

where are my sisters?

creative photography by Tim. what a goof.

simple point of view

God and feelings

I have come to love this quote. It is on my fridge and has been shared with many good friends.

"Our feelings do not determine what is real, though feelings themselves are real. We cannot ignore these feelings, but neither should we indulge them. Instead, we should acknowledge them without treating them as if they were ultimate truth. The feeling self is not the centre of reality. God is the centre of reality. To surrender to God, however contrary to our emotions, will lead to liberation from self and will open us to a world that is much bigger and grander than we are."

-- Jerry Sittser, A Grace Disguised

(thanks, Christy!)

overwhelmed by the good stuff

I must admit that sometimes I get overwhelmed.
There seems to be so many opportunities in life and it is so difficult to know how to best spend my time. That probably best sums up the reason for no blogs the past month.

There are the regular things I need to do (and also like to do):
-teach and all the prep work for it and extra-curricular stuff
-cook
-clean
-exercise
-sleep (of course)

There are the things I love to do and want to do MORE of (and that I also "need" to do):
-study and memorize Scripture
-volunteer and actively share Christ with others
-be a more active encouragement in my church (and school and family)
-pray more, for so many things: persecuted church, world events, students, family members, spiritual eyes to be opened, etc.
-keep up-to-date on current events around the world
-serve
-take action for social justice causes

And then there are the "other" things I still would like to add in:
-study Spanish and speak it with people in my community
-play piano
-learn to play various sports better
-read more, both novels and edifying books on theology, religion, world cultures, etc.
-get to know my neighbours
-become further educated in order to better do my job
-photography

How does one balance visiting one's family and visiting the shut-ins? serving in my teacher role and serving in the broader community? keeping myself healthy and giving of myself?

I realize some of the above things can be combined (ex. memorize Scripture while cleaning dishes, praying or encouraging while walking, etc), but it does seem difficult to "do it all." Am I trying to do too many selfish things?

The options just seem boundless and I often feel like I really end up doing "nothing" since I try to do "everything." That can feel frustrating and causes me to question if I'm using my gifts and talents wisely.

I long to live intentionally, purposefully, and in a Christ-exalting way.