Paid In Full, So...

"Jesus paid it all..."

Do you see how amazing this is? The debt we could never repay was paid by the blood of Jesus; by what He did on the cross.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (1 Corinthians 5:17)

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13)

"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

So how do we respond?

"...All to Him I owe"

If someone bought your house, you wouldn't continue to live there, would you? Of course not! You would move out and make from for the new owner to move in, Why? Well, because they bought it!

John the Baptist said of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) He gave His life for us, so how can we not give ours to Him?

^{“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)}

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1)

We have been set free, but from what? And to what? In Romans 6:1-2a, Paul says, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means!" When we accept new life in Christ, we must lay down ours in return. But do you see what we gain in exchange?

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ" (Philippians 3:8)

My prayer for this year is that Christ would increase in my life. He bought my life with His blood, and He is worthy to receive all of me, every moment of every day!

My Shepherd

Look at me.

I am but a little sheep.

Weak. Defenseless. Powerless.

Do you see these hoofs?

They are incapable of doing anything of value.

Do you see these legs?

They are completely unable to follow after the Shepherd.

Do you see this mouth?

It is only capable of a pathetic bleat.

Do you see these eyes?

They are so prone to wander and to dart about in fear.

Now forget about me.

Look at my Shepherd.

Strong. Powerful. Beautiful.

Do you see His hands?

They are quick to defend, mighty to work,

And the nail scars speak of resounding victory.

Do you see His legs?

They can go anywhere; climb any mountain standing in the way.

Do you see His mouth?

His very Word is power.

Do you see His eyes?

See how they look with love on my weakness.

Too great a love to allow me to remain that way.

Yes, look at my Shepherd.

Don't dwell on your inability; cling to His ability.

He has given all you need to follow Him.

To love Him, and to love others as He has loved you.

Look to Him and love Him on days of sunshine.

Hide under His shadow and be saved from any foe.

Move forward in His strength against the wolves.

Look at my Shepherd, and lose yourself in Him.

An Ellerslie Summary

How in the world do I begin to summarize nine of the most spiritually intense weeks I've ever experienced? It's not going to be easy, but I pray that God will give me the words.

I saw such a beautiful picture of what the true Christian life is supposed to be. I saw that God's commands are to be obeyed truly, not just given a nod of affirmation and then disregarded. I saw that His promises are rock solid truth, not just comforting poetry. I saw even more clearly the weight of what He did for me, and what my response must be: complete, unconditional surrender. So much powerful truth, but at the heart of it all there is one thing.

Jesus. All that I've learned only has worth if it is the outflow of a relationship with Him. This life can only be lived victoriously by total dependance on His enabling grace. In Him we have the strength to love, forgive, overcome the enemy, pray with power, find perfect peace and joy, die to self, follow Him, and so much more, but that's the key- through Him! He is all that matters! We have the breathtakingly wonderful and sobering privilege if representing Him on this earth. We can't esteem His pattern and seek to imitate it; we can only come to Him and allow Him to live His life through us. It's all by His grace, and all for His glory!

There is more I could say, but that's the heart of it. God did so much in my life over those nine weeks, and this is only the beginning. My hearts desire is to know Him more and to make Him known. I don't know the next step, but I know the One who goes with me! May He receive all the glory!

The Center

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm a girl who has always loved tradition, so I generally get pretty excited this time of year. This is my first time spending Thanksgiving away from my family, and truthfully, it hasn't been easy. Still, God has used it to teach me so much!

Tradition is a beautiful thing, but I see now that it has been the primary focus of my Thanksgivings and Christmases. Jesus has always been an important part, but now I'm asking that He would come and be all. After all, He is the One that we celebrate!

I'm asking Him to redeem the holiday season in my life. I want to joy but that which comes through Him! A few days of rest can be such a blessing, but I know in my own life I have used those times to take a break from seeking Him. I'm asking Him to show my what I need to let go and what He needs to redeem. It's not some religious duty, it's an act of love! I don't want a break from Him! Tradition, celebration, and fellowship are beautiful gifts, but nothing is truly beautiful apart from Him! My prayer for this holiday season is that He would be the center of all celebration, laughter, and fellowship, and would draw me closer to Him through it as I seek His face. I'm also asking Him to cultivate in me a truly thankful heart, yes, for material blessings, but especially for who He is, and what He has done! Christ died for me, and I now live in Him! What's not to be thankful for?


Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that 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.
Psalm 100

P.S. Here's another video of something we've been doing. http://vimeo.com/32019455

A few pictures!

Here you have a TINY sample of what I've been up to! The first picture is of some of us at Lily Lake, the second is my roommate Karen and I. We dressed alike by accident. The third picture is one of many I've taken of the campus. All of the leaves are gone now, and it's snowed twice. The last one is of my team the day of the Ellerslie Epic Games. :)

A Video!

Hello everyone! I'm sorry I've been neglecting my blog. There is SO much to process that it's hard to get around to writing it out in blog format. Things are still wonderful, and God is doing amazing things as always! I'm rather short on time now, but I did want to share this video from the Epic Ellerslie Games, Fall 2011! I'm on the orange team, and I'm not wearing my glasses. :) http://vimeo.com/31568598

P.S. It's cold here.

Ellerslie Update

There is absolutely no way to put words to the work God has been doing in my heart, and no time to tell you all I've been doing. I'll simply share a few highlights and then zero in on one specific area of what I've been learning.

-The His Little Feet choir (look it up!) has been here preparing to go on tour. It has been such an incredible blessing to minister to the kids and play with them. You don't have to speak the same language to show God's love. Last night they gave us a concert, and it was one of the most intensely moving things I've ever witnessed. They are gone now, and I miss them already. Please pray for them.
-Last Saturday we had a picnic and hiked around Lily Lake. Understanding the power of God and the awe of knowing that His Word makes mountains tremble is taken to a whole new level when you see grandeur like that. The hike up and around was unforgettable.

Again, there is so much God has been teaching me, by there's something central to what I've been learning. (This is sort of a follow up to my post on God's promises)

Just as His promises are to be believed, so His commands are to be obeyed. He is God, we bend and bow to His definition of reality rather than trying to redefine it. He has bought us with His blood; we are not our own. We must "lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any man will come after me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey it's passions. (Romans 6:12)

You therefore must be perfect, and your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

Sounding impossible? If you don't think so, try to live this way and you will quickly change your mind. In our own strength, we are completely and totally unable to live this way. Here's the thing: We aren't called to do it in our own strength! It is Christ living in us that enables us to walk as He walked. We must decrease, that He might increase.

Now to Him Who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20)

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

His divine power has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may be partakers of the divine nature... (2 Peter 1:3-4a)

This barely scratches the surface, but there you go. Those are things I've always understood on a certain level, but not I'm standing on it, in His strength, and accepting His Word as truth in an intensely practical way. I'm seeing my own depravity apart from Him, but I'm also seeing the depths of His grace and power like never before! I don't just feel free, I am free!

Here I am!

(I wrote this on yesterday but didn't have time to post until today.)

Hello from Windsor, CO! Let me just begin by saying that I love it here. It's only been a few days, but already it feels like I've been here a very long time in the best possible way. Someone asked me this morning what my favorite part of being here has been. That is a very difficult question to answer. I love the fellowship. Everyone is so genuine, and I've had the most wonderful conversations with some of the girls. What really makes it special, however, is how the environment is completely saturated with Christ. It's very hard to articulate, but the worship, fellowship, teaching, and ample opportunity to be still before Him are priceless. I am at the threshold of something amazing, and though it sounds cliche, I'll say it anyway: I am so excited to see how God is going to work in my life and in the lives of those around me. He promises that in His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11) and I am beginning to taste what that means.

Several random things:
-My roommate's name is Karen, and she's from Australia. I love her.
-Our dorm room is very cozy, and we have a beautiful view of the mountains from our window.
-I have taken quite a few pictures already, and you can't escape seeing them when I get back! (haha)
-I never realized what a thrilling place Walmart can be when you're out on your own! I've never had such fun paying for soup and laundry detergent. (We'll see how long that lasts.)

Watch this video for a taste of what I'm hearing. (Seriously. Watch it.)

Tomorrow!

After months of planning, preparation, and prayer, I will be leaving for Colorado early tomorrow morning! I've spent the last few weeks saying goodbye and the last few days packing like crazy. I know it's only two months and it will go by quickly, but it's still hard saying goodbye. God has blessed me with a wonderful community here, and I will miss my family and friends. The support, especially over the past week, has been overwhelming. I can't thank you all enough for loving, encouraging, and praying for me!

This is probably the most dramatic life change I have faced so far. I will be leaving everything and everyone I know and going somewhere I've never been, not for a few weeks, but a few months. It's not forever, but much longer than I've been away. Am I nervous? Yes, a bit. I am facing many unknowns, but anytime I've started to worry, God has been faithful to remind me that He will never leave me or forsake me. Am I excited? Absolutely! I am amazed at the way God has brought me to this point, and I can hardly wait to see what He will do in my life over the next few months!

Here are a few prayer requests:

1. Safe travel! My flight leaves at 8:30 am and will arrive at 2:21 NC time. Pray that I will be able to make my connecting flight with no trouble!

2. Please pray that my allergies will not cause problems while I'm there.

3. Please pray that my focus will be on Christ, and that nothing will distract me from seeking Him.

4. Above all, please pray that God's purposes will be accomplished in my life and in the lives of those attending with me, that we will learn, grow, and draw nearer to Him during our time there!

Well, this is it! Now to finish packing...

One Week and a Courageous Review

I leave one week from today, and the time is going to fly by. I have a week of packing and goodbyes ahead, and truthfully, I'm not a big fan of either. Both, however, are necessary when one is setting out on an adventure like this. My room looks like a semi-organized tornado came through and I'll miss the people I know and love, but God is moving in my life, and I can't wait to see where He takes me!

Last night was the opening night of the new movie Courageous, (from the creators of Fireproof and Facing the Giants) and I went to see it with a group of friends. In a world where most of what we view as entertainment is pointless at best, harmful at worst, it was so incredibly refreshing to sit in a movie theater and hear truth. The movie was very well done, the acting was wonderful, and it included a powerful presentation of the gospel. It addressed an issue that desperately needs attention. I don't usually cry in movies, but I was teary eyed literally within the first two minutes. I highly recommend it. However, I would like to share my thoughts on something I felt was lacking.

In the movie, a group of men sign a resolution after certain circumstances propel them into action. In this resolution, they state their intent to be the kind of fathers God would have them be. They have seen a problem, a truth, and rather than staying where they are and nodding their heads in agreement, they seek to live it. A very right response, but there is a very important something the movie barely addressed:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing."

John 15:5 (Jesus is speaking, emphasis mine)

We can't just say that we want to be a better father, mother, sister, friend, leader, son, etc, look at God's blueprint in the Bible, and then make it happen. However great our conviction, however firm our resolve, our own efforts are not enough. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that change isn't possible. If God has called us to be something then He will enable us, but that is the key! He is the One who changes us, and it is only through His grace and His Spirit working in us that we could ever live the set-apart, world altering lives He has called us to live.

That being said, let me reiterate that I highly recommend the movie. (Although be aware that it does have some fairly intense gang related violence.) I would just like to encourage you to remember as you watch that it is only through our Lord that such change is possible!