Compassion Bloggers Trip...

I've been totally enthralled by this trip!
I encourage you to follow along
on this adventure and pray for the travelers
and those they will touch and love in God's name!

Anthem...

I absolutely love Jon Acuff's blog, Stuff Christians Like. I thoroughly enjoy his posts, and his commenters never fail to make me laugh - and think. Today, he asked folks to share their life anthems, and a commenter named Elena (all of 18 years old) shared something that just blew me away. She said her youth minister taught it to her and she memorized it and repeats it often. I asked her if I could pass it along and she encouraged me to do so:

I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.
The die has been cast.
The decision has been made.
I have stepped over the line.
I'm His disciple.
I won't look back, let up, slow down,
back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense
and my future is secure.
I'm finished and done with low living, sight-walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions,
mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits or popularity.
I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized,
praised, regarded or rewarded.
I now live by faith, lean on His presence,
love with patience,
live by prayer and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven,
my road is narrow, my way is rough,
my companions are few,
my Guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured,
lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice,
hesitate in the presence of adversity,
negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity,
or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up
until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up
and spoken up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go till He comes, give till I drop,
preach till all know and work till He stops me.
And when He comes for His own,
He will have no problem recognizing me.
My banner is clear.

Refuge...

Scripture memory for the second half of April...

My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
Psalm 62:7-8

I'm finishing up the passage I began on April 1st. I love looking at Beth's blog to see what other sisters are memorizing. I actually have a little word document on my desktop where I cut and paste Scriptures for potential future memorization (I know, how dorky can I be, right?).
Anyway, I've enjoyed learning, and reviewing, the verses I've learned so far in 2009. God has used them to encourage me and given multiple opportunities for me to use them to bless others. If you're working on Scripture memory, or just want to say "hello," hit comment and share!

I will not be shaken...

As I was contemplating my memory verses (I'm working on Psalm 62:5-6 the first part of April, then 7-8 the last part - see below), I was intrigued by the word "shaken."

"He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken."

Shaken suggests to be moved roughly, to and fro; often the picture is of someone being shaken in anger, or in attempt to get them to wake up. But looking further in the definition is the key to this verse, I think: to weaken or impair confidence in, especially by shocking or disturbing; to cause a change of mood or attitude by shocking or disturbing.
When God ALONE is our rock, our fortress, our salvation, we won't be easily shaken - shocked, disturbed, blown about by circumstances or people into a weakened state of belief. (Interestingly, as I've worked on repeating this verse, I keep forgetting the word "alone" in verse 7. Hmmm. This could explain my tendency to be shaken!)
One more quick "word study" note: while fortress can suggest a walled, fortified city, the word used in many places in the Psalms describes any place of hiding or refuge. That reminded me of Psalm 91:1 -

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

So, anyone out there working on Scripture memorization?
Click the comment button and share!

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone...

Scripture memory for April...

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
Psalm 62:5-8

I love it when the writer of the Psalms talks to himself:
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone…”
That’s kind of the idea behind memorizing Scripture:
– to speak truth to ourselves;
– to speak encouragement to our own souls;
– to remind ourselves of God’s love and faithfulness.

I love the way The Message translation phrases part of this:

“He's solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul.”

Anyone need a little breathing room for your soul?
I know I do.

And I know my salvation depends on God, but my pathetic, prideful heart needs the reminder that my honor depends on him, too.

Find rest…O my soul, in God alone.

Inhabiting our praise...

Someone said something in prayer Sunday night that I've heard before, but you know how sometimes it's as though you're hearing something for the first time?

Let me back up:

Sunday night was the annual "Spring Sing" at Temple Baptist Church in Winnsboro, a gathering of choirs from throughout the parish who each sing a couple of songs then we all get together for a song at the end. Our choir has jokingly referred to it as "Battle of the Choirs," but, of course, it is NOT a competition! Our choir also usually complains about anything that requires any kind of extra practice or preparation. Choirs are large and small, young and old, with songs in just about every kind of style - some styles, honestly, I prefer to others.

So Sunday night, one of the pastors (I'm so sorry, I can't remember who it was - update: my friend Jimmy says it was Prentis Gandy - thanks, Jimmy!) prayed the opening prayer, mentioning that God "inhabits the praises of His people."

Wow.

God Himself inhabits the praises of His people.

I've heard it before, but found myself wondering if it was scripture, or just a saying - yep, it's in the Bible - the King James Version:

But thou art holy,

O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Psalm 22:3

How amazing is that? I found myself moved by each selection, offered sincerely in praise, which God Himself favored with His presence.

Want God to draw near?

Praise Him!

Overwhelmed...

I encourage anyone reading this to click on Beth Moore's blog (there's a link just down and to the right of this post--->) and take a few minutes to watch the short videos on the life of a minister's wife. I sat on my little worn corner of the couch and bawled after reading these raw, honest statements from some amazing, called, Godly women. I immediately turned off my computer, found Loretta, my minister's wife, and just about scared her to death by collapsing into tears while trying to express how much I love and appreciate her! I am crazy about that girl and I don't tell her enough! Seriously, she is amazing, beautiful, funny, super-talented, devoted...and she has really great hair!

When's the last time you let your minister's wife know what she means to you? Or lifted a prayer on her behalf? I encourage you to do it today and I'm pledging anew to pray for and love on my preacher's wife (who also, happily, happens to be my back-door neighbor and dear friend)!

I LOVE YOU, LORETTA!