by Laney Rene | May 11, 2018 | Life Advice |
“Lord, I passionately love you and I’m bonded to you. I want to embrace you, for now you’ve become my power! You’re as real to me as bedrock beneath my feet, like a castle on a cliff, my forever firm fortress, my mountain of hiding, my pathway of escape, my tower of rescue where none can reach me. My secret strength and shield around me, you are salvation’s ray of brightness shining on the hillside, always the champion of my cause. All I need to do is to call to you, singing to you, the praiseworthy God. When I do, I’m safe and sound in you.” ~ Psalm 18: 1-3 TPT
I grew up in a Christian home and I have an amazing family and I couldn’t dream of having more amazing parents. They have continually shown me Jesus by the way they live their lives and the way they love me unconditionally. But Jesus has never become more real to me than He has this past year and a half.
He’s always been as real, and I’d like to say I’ve always believed He was as real, but in this season I’ve seen Him and felt Him like I never had quite before. He has become “as real to me as bedrock beneath my feet”.
A few months ago it was a Friday night (the night it feels like you should always have plans) and I didn’t have any! I had just dropped my friend off somewhere and I was driving back to the house. On my way home I could feel my heart begin to feel disappointed. Not because I didn’t have plans, but because when it gets quiet the enemy usually hits me with the “What are you doing with your life?” question. And if I let it that thought only produces more fear questions… all questions that take God and His faithfulness out of the equation. Because the enemy never reminds us of who Jesus is or our identity as a son or daughter.
So driving home, I had a choice to make. I can either allow the enemy to have this night and have my thoughts, and I can be disappointed…OR, I can set my eyes, my heart, and my emotions on Jesus and I can enjoy a quiet night with Him.
Thankfully I chose Him, because that Friday became my favorite Friday of all Fridays thus far.
When I got home I cooked dinner for myself, turned on some worship music, and sat down at the table. I thought to myself “I’m just gonna have dinner with Jesus”… but what I didn’t realize is that this was about to be the most satisfying meal I’d ever had.
After I sat down I realized I forgot to get myself something to drink. So I got up and got myself a glass of water. When I sat the glass of water down, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, “Laney, would you get me a glass of water too?”
This might sound a little crazy to you, and It definitely crossed my mind what my roommates would think if they walked in and saw me sitting at the table by myself and two glasses of water, but I did it anyway! Getting my Savior a glass of water brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t quite contain what my heart was feeling and I had never felt so loved by serving someone a glass of water before.
After I did this, again I went to sit down and before my bottom even hit the chair I heard “would you make me a plate too?”
By this point you might think I’m delusional because maybe you’ve never heard Jesus say something to you quite like this… but something I’ve learned is that it’s not that He’s not speaking, it’s just that sometimes we don’t allow ourselves and our lives to get quiet and still enough to hear Him. Anyways, back to what I was saying! So I got up and made Him a plate. I sat it across from me and began listening and talking to Him just like I would my best friend. No the food didn’t disappear, but Jesus knew what getting Him a glass of water and making Him a plate of food would do for me. His purpose in asking me to do this was for me to see and know how near He was and how REAL He is. Nothing else I could’ve done that night could’ve been more important or more satisfying than getting my Savior a glass of water.
I had never felt so honored and so important.
“So what’d you do Friday night?”
“Oh just served Jesus a glass of water AND made him dinner… it’s chill.”
Haha but seriously, nothing could’ve caused me to have FOMO that night because there’s nothing else on earth I would’ve rather been doing.
This felt like a very intimate story for me to share and I wrestled with whether or not to share it because it’s so special to me and I wondered if people may not understand it. But my goal in sharing this isn’t to make you understand my story. My goal and my hope is to encourage you in how NEAR your Jesus is to you right now. May my story encourage you to allow yourself to have your own story of an intimate time with Him where He meets you in a way that you’ve never experienced Him before.
“…Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance…” Isaiah 55:2
by Juli Wilson | Mar 26, 2018 | Life Advice |
I love a good Vacay. As I write this, my family and I are on a cross-country trip from Nashville to Southern California, where we are relocating. Not a bad gig, huh!? Don’t worry, I have enough energy left to take a little trip with you right now. Let’s go to a place called the Garden of Eden.
If Yelp existed back in the day, I’d imagine it would describe Eden a little like this:
A lush, blooming garden—filled with every fruit, flower, and animal you could ever imagine. The sky illuminates, the sun shines ten times brighter. There are overflowing waterfalls of the purest water, no need for fancy bottles or filters. All that’s required are your two hands. Rolling hills of emerald green grass abound, almost begging you to take a long walk. The population is slim, a mere two people there, so noise is never an issue. Oh, and the best part? God walks around there. He talks to you. He comes face to face with you. Yes, God Himself. It is the perfect place, literally. There is no sin or shame, no regrets or mistakes—no should have, could have, would have.
This is what it’s like to be in God’s presence, and in Genesis 3, there’s a story of two people who actually lived there. Their names were Adam and Eve, the first people to ever live.
So, I bet you’re thinking, “Yeah, that’s great for them and all. Sounds super nice, but how does that apply to my life? I’ve never known a life without brokenness or shame. I can’t relate to this picture of perfection.” Whew, so glad you said that! I can’t, either. Here’s the common ground we all share. Yep, even Adam and Eve.
While walking around the garden one day, Eve was approached by a serpent, aka a snake. This is where I’d run away, our sis Eve was BRAVE. She decided to listen to a talking snake. Bizarre, right? In all fairness, she was the first woman on earth, and she lived in an unbroken world. To her, it was just another animal. But oh, how it wasn’t just another animal.
This is how the conversation between the two went:
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1
Uh, did you catch that little phrase? “Did God really say?” Satan’s talks to a person for the first time ever, and what does he try to do? He tries to get them to doubt God. Have you ever experienced that before? I sure have. Satan’s main goal is to get us questioning what God has told us, to get us questioning what we really believe.
“The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” Genesis 3:2-3
Things were looking promising here. Eve tells the serpent what God told her, and for a split second, it leads us to think she’s going to stand up for what is right. Surely, she wouldn’t cave under the pressure, right? I’m sure she’d never imagined herself disobeying God. But then, Satan struck back.
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5
See what he did there? He basically said, “God’s a liar. He knows if you eat this fruit, you’ll know everything. You’ll be as powerful as God. He’s afraid of anyone else being better than Him. He’s selfish. Eat the fruit. Put God in his place.”
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis 3:6
Temptation. Sin is enticing, huh? It gives us this, “Ah, what the heck, how bad could this really be? Might as well try it…” mentality. Eve took the fruit the serpent was dangling before her, and you know what’s interesting? She didn’t do it alone. She invited Adam along for the ride. Sin is contagious, and you’ll notice when someone is disobeying God, they like to bring people along for the ride.
So, what’s the problem here? Yeah, Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit, and sure, she encouraged Adam to do the same…but nothing too terrible could happen, right?
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Genesis 3:7
Shame enters the picture. Before this all happened, Adam and Eve never knew the darkness of shame. The consequences of sin. The deep, dark gap of a life separated from God. But in an instant, they knew. They felt pain. They experienced sadness. They longed to be reunited with their God. I can only imagine they would go to sleep and night and pray this was all just a bad dream. But, it wasn’t. This was their new reality.
This sounds like the ending to a really sad, dark story, doesn’t it? Oh, but how God’s stories never end in ashes, not ultimately. The scriptures go on to say that God immediately talked to Adam and Eve after they ate of the fruit. He checked in on them, even in their disobedience, as a loving father does. He even went as far to give them coverings for their nakedness—Jehovah Jireh, God our provider. Even as the world first tasted sin, God poured out grace. He extended a hand of compassion.
Although this sin broke God’s heart, as every sin committed since has, this story set the stage for things to come, for the Savior that would come. God’s only son, Jesus, the sacrifice for this sin, for every sin after, for every sin you and I have ever committed. As if that wasn’t enough, God doesn’t just give us a clean slate. He invites us back into fellowship with Him. He’s still willing to take a walk with us, to talk to us, to guide us through life’s crazy paths. He’s just asking, what do you believe?
Do you really believe what God says is true? You won’t always get things right. You’ll find yourself taking bites of that forbidden fruit, facing the consequences of not obeying God. Here’s the beauty, though, you’ll also find His stretched-out hand, lifting you up. Providing for you. Looking after you like a good father.
When Satan tempts you, remember this: God is trustworthy. What He says is true. Always. 100% of the time. Yes, God really did say. Use your truth against the lies. Lead others to the path of righteousness, not down the broken path of sin. We’re all influencers, whether for good or evil. Choose the narrow path, the one God is walking down. He’ll never, ever lead you astray.
by Juli Wilson | Feb 19, 2018 | Life Advice |
encouragement.
So, I know this guy, and I think He would be the PERFECT person for you to have a relationship with. He is SO patient, it’s unreal. He puts up with people going back and forth, trying to decide if they want to stay with him or not. He stops what he’s doing to notice people, even the ones who aren’t as “important” compared to the world’s standards. He’s always so kind. He’s never jealous of what other people have, and when He has every right to be cocky about something he has done, he doesn’t boast or showoff. He chooses humility, he drops his pride. He doesn’t dishonor others, it’s not in his nature. He is never self-seeking, you’ll always find him going out of his way to serve others. He’s not easily angered, he always extends grace—never keeping a record of who has wronged him. He doesn’t delight in evil, it breaks his heart. But the truth? Oh, how he rejoices in it! He’s always looking out to protect, to keep people safe from harm. He is always hoping for the best, though you’ll find he has been through the very worst. He always perseveres—though darkness tries to overtake him, he rises victorious.
What’s his name? I’m so glad you asked…it’s the sweetest name I know. Jesus.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
There is no greater picture of love than the life of Jesus. From his first cry, He was set apart—sent to redeem mankind, with the only thing that could ever make us whole; love. Sacrificial, unconditional, redeeming love. He lived his life so backwards to what makes sense in the world’s eyes. He said the least will be greatest, that the last would be first. That’s how he lived his life. The greatest, becoming the least. Giving it all for us. His life for ours. So we could live eternally, and so we could make much of his name here on earth. What love is this? The truest to ever exist.
There is no fear in love, friends—and the beauty here is that we can go to the feet of perfect love, Jesus, just as we are. Broken hearted and all. He knows how to handle our broken pieces, he’s the one that can finally fix them. If you’re looking for love, the search is over. He already loves you more than you could know, it’s just waiting for you to accept it, to accept him. Let him love you, friend. It’s what you were created for. It’s who you are, loved—sacrificially, unconditionally.
by Lauren Scruggs-Kennedy | Jan 31, 2018 | Testimonies |
guest blogger.
Oh, sweet grace. The gift of grace is the best kind of gift. We have been thinking lately about how thankful we are for grace and the freedom that it brings, even when we don’t deserve it. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you aren’t particularly pleased with a situation or person? These situations can bring about hurtful feelings of disappointment, critical feelings of judgement, heartbroken feelings of confusion, or heavy feelings of bitterness and resentment. However, there is a sweet way to avoid these negative, soul-weakening feelings! The answer is grace.
Give the gift of grace to others freely, abundantly, and always. Even when your mind might be raging, tap into your heart and give grace to someone. This will not only be so good for them, but it will be so good for you as well! You will feel light and unburdened and will be able to carry on, instead of being stuck in an unforgiving rut. It is harder said than done, and it takes patience, so we encourage all of us to praise the Lord for the sweet grace He gives us and pray for Him to give us the strength and the tenderness to give grace to others constantly.
Here is a quote from the daily devotional, Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young that really spoke to me: ‘When someone mistreats you, try to view it as an opportunity to grow in grace. See how quickly you can forgive the one who has wounded you.” I love the picture that this quote creates; each hurtful situation is an opportunity for us to grow! It is a challenge because we have two choices: to feel hurt, angry, and hold on to negative feelings, or to release the negative by forgiving, giving grace, and in return we will grow in grace.
Lysa Terkeurst has an amazing quote on grace: When to give grace? I’d rather stand before God knowing I loved others too much than regretting that I judged too harshly. Amen to that. Loving others by showing them grace in every opportunity that you have is the sweetest display of love. May we all keep this quote in mind as we live and interact with others, giving grace and loving people even when they let us down or hurt us. xo
by Juli Wilson | Jan 26, 2018 | Life Advice, Testimonies |
God’s plans for you are good.
“Why are you doing this, Lord? Where are you leading me? What if it doesn’t work out? What if I’m not good enough?”
What if. What if. What if.
This has tune has been played on repeat in my heart in different seasons of my life. It’s not that I don’t trust God, it’s just that I put too much trust in myself sometimes. I try to figure everything out alone. I try to make things happen. I live life based on what I know, which is NOTHING in light of God. He knows it all. When we lay down and when we rise. The amount of hairs on our head. The plans that will give us a future and a hope, the ones that will prosper. I know this is all true. I know He is good.
Yet, here I am. Sitting on my bed, questioning what He is up to. Wondering if He really sees my pain. If he actually hears my cries. If He could ever truly care about someone like me. I ask Him for clarity. For a little glimpse of hope. Sometimes, He gives it in the form of a whisper, that still, small voice that reminds me everything will be okay. Other times, he uses scripture to SHOUT the words we need to hear. Words that are bold and powerful and so divinely written. But then, at times, he uses silence to pierce our hearts. To see if we’re willing to trust, even when the path we’re called down is foggy.
That’s where I’m at tonight. Sitting in that thick silence, trying to peek through the cloudy path. I can’t see where He is leading me. He hasn’t said a word. So, what do I do? I’m going to keep looking up and reaching out. He takes hold of my hand as my knees shake, as I wobble from step to unseen step. And when I’m too weak to walk, weighed down by life’s demands, I will posture my heart towards Him. He will carry me in the way I should go. This is love. This is the way I want to go.
The way of love. HIS way.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. None of us do. All you have to do is fall at the feet of the One who knows what you need. God will never lead you astray, even if the path seems rough. He knows where He’s leading you. Trust His heart—it is always good. So very good.
Father,
Thank you for who you are. For how you love us. We beg you to lead us, God. We are holding on tight in anticipation of what you have planned for us. We know it is going to be so much bigger and better than anything we could ever hope for or imagine. You are such a kind, gracious Father. Help us to keep our eyes on you. We love you, Lord. Amen.
