A New Look.

In an effort to simplify the technological aspects of my life, I have consolidated my blogs into one blog via WordPress. Although I am slowly working on changing all those white-fonted posts to black font, all the previous posts are on my new blog... here's the address and the link for A Way in the Desert:

awayinthedesert.wordpress.com

Enjoy! See you there!

Woman.

You don't need a man by your side to validate you as a woman. You already are loved and valued. You're good enough exactly as you are. Do you believe this? Because it's true. You have limitless worth and value. If you embrace this truth, it will affect every area of life, especially your relationship with men.

You are worth dying for.

...there is a mystery to you, infinite depth and endless complexity...

Your strength is a beautiful thing. And when you live in it, when you carry yourself with the honor and dignity that are yours. It forces the men around you to relate to you on more than just a flesh level.

You are worth dying for.

When you live in your true identity, when you find your worth and value in your Creator, when you live "in Christ," in who you really are, you force him to rethink what it means to be a man.


Excerpts from Sex God, by Rob Bell

Deep Unto Deep

"And O God, give me one grace, I pray. Give me the grace to give myself in prayer once again tomorrow. To believe that it matters. To put my heart before You though I feel so unproductive and unfruitful. Give me the grace to spend tomorrow once more before You in love. For I can think of no more noble way to spend a day than to spend it with You, whether I feel Your nearness or not. Oh, help me in the times of fainting. Give me the grace for one more day."

"The Lord does not despise our weakness as we so often imagine. He is not caught off-guard by our frailty. Quite the contrary, as Creator and Savior, He loves and enjoys the process of our finding our strength in Him and learning to lean into Him. It is in our weakness that His strength is made perfect (2 Cor. 12:9), and it is out of weakness that we are made strong (Heb. 11:34). he has set up His kingdom with the inclusion of our weakness. . . [He] embraces us in this place as He beckons us to continually lift our weak voice and our weak gaze in prayer and communion with Him."


excerpts from Deep Unto Deep, by Dana Candler

One Set of Footprints.

You know those days when you wake up and just want to go back to bed, for maybe if you sleep again, things will be different when you wake up? Certainly it's not a frequent occurrence, but it is still that: an occurrence. Or, maybe you didn't sleep well, emotions are high and unruly, and everything is going exactly how you did not plan it: the computer won't load quickly, the email account flops around, your hair didn't "do," you're running late, the juice spills. And now it's raining.

Something that thing you thought was over still creeps into and seeps into your thoughts so often and then rears it's ugly head at the most inopportune times. It is the only earthly thing known to fail me not. Maybe I'm moody, just like today's weather. But, maybe I'm just tired of this too. Tired of trying to be the strong one all the time; tired of reminding myself to learn from this season; tired of trying to have faith that everything is for my good; tired of keeping the feelings down. Tired of the up and down and all-around tug-of-war-type dance with my emotions. Maybe I'm ready for a new season of life. . . I've been trying to learn from this season, trying to learn all I can about patience, contentment, and faith despite utter confusion, but I'm getting so frustrated and worn out.

And yet we add on the most recent confusion-producing moments. Why must these random things happen to me? Why must I feel the results of others' coincidental mistakes that I should have never known about? What are You teaching me, Lord? Why don't I seem to learn the lesson, get the picture? Why must the paths of learning patience, faith, and contentment be so stinkin' difficult and cause so many tears?

Yet, I know that the Lord is faithful to lead me through anything He allows me to experience. He is faithful when I am faithless, and He is strong when I am weak because of the long, unending journey. Even when life does not seem to fit with "everything working together for my good," I know that Jehovah Jireh is my Provider for all that I could ever need.

Perhaps this is just a time that I will look back on and see only one set of footprints. And that's okay with me.

Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it forgoes revenge, and dares forgive an injury. ~E.H. Chapin

As We Prepare to Travel

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrowmindedness... Broad, wholesome, charitable views of persons and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
- Mark Twain

I saw this quote in the front of a book on Paraguay and thought it was a good thought to ponder as we prepare to travel to cultures unlike our own and as we encourage those we meet.

Wrapping Up.

I have one final left in my junior year of nursing school.

After that, it's the beginning of a wonderful season of new and refreshing. I've grown weary from the challenges and facts of life recently; school is demanding, leaving no time to work through the loss of my dear Grandma. I'm looking forward to a few days of relaxation and laid-back moments next week... I'm hoping to have some time to journal, listen to music, nap, think, daydream.

This year has been so good, so hard, and so draining. I learned so much, but it was so much in such a short time period, with additional things to deal with (like planning a summer trip and grieving the loss of my last living grandparent). I'm looking forward to being home, having my own space, resting, reviewing for NCLEX (it's only one year away now!). This summer will be a different summer, but a good one, I'm sure.

But, at this moment, I need to study for my Public Health Nursing clinical final. It's only a few days away!

Vision of You

Come meet us, King Jesus
Oh wind of change blow through this temple
Sweet Spirit of God, come and mend our hearts
For all we have are songs
Unless You come

Awaken what’s inside of me
Tune my heart to all You are in me
Even though You’re here God come
And may the vision of You
Be the death of me
And even though you’ve given everything
Jesus come

Come free us, King Jesus
It’s the only way that freedom’s given
From You and You alone
In the work You’ve already done
For all we have are songs,
Unless You come

Awaken what’s inside of me
Tune my heart to all You are in me
Even though You’re here God come
And may the vision of You
Be the death of me
And even though you’ve given everything
Jesus come

Here we are, Lord
In this place
Crying out for
Your embrace
To hear Your voice
More than songs
Please come
Jesus come

Vision of You

Shane and Shane

Wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate.
And the Master so gently said, "Child you must wait"

"Wait? You say wait!" my indignant reply
"Lord, I need answers. I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By FAITH I have asked, and am claiming your Word."

"My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign."

"And Lord you promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, and we shall recieve.
And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait"
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel and his eyes wept with mine
And he tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run".

"All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want--but you wouldnt know ME.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint;
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint;

"You'd not learn to see through the clouds of dispair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;
You'd not know the joy of resting in me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.

"You'd never experience the fullness of love
As the peace of my Spirit descends like a dove;
You'd know that I give and I save...(for a start)
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.

"You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that 'My grace is sufficient for thee'.
Yes your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true.
But, oh the loss! if I lost what I'm doing in you!

"So, be silent, my child and in time you will see
THAT THE GREATEST OF GIFTS IS TO GET TO KNOW ME.
And though oft may my answers seem terribly late,
My wisest of answers is still but to WAIT"


Russell Kelfer