Glory,Glory All Around

God's Glory.

Everything seems to center around that this week. It started when I downloaded our praise and worship songs for Sunday morning.Then one of my friends and fellow praise teamers had a word for us at rehearsal about how important it is to God that his name is glorified throughout the earth. And then I went to the Clarity Youth Conference with our youth group. And you'll never guess where his message went.

His message started and centered around the statement that

"The purpose of God's Word is to reveal how God redeems his people for HIS glory."

He proceeded to lead us through scripture after scripture spanning from cover to cover of the bible showing God's desire is to show his glory to his people.

We were all very convicted as he began to show us that we have turned even Christian faith around to be all about us, as is the good ole' American way. He asked us, "What would we say is the number one statement of Christianity?" I think probably 99.8% of us came up with the same essential answer. God loves us, Jesus loves me, Christ died for us. Then he pointed out that if that is the main idea of Christianity, then it's all about us, and not him. What does God do for us?

While God's love is a pivotal truth, God's main point is to reveal his glory to the ends of the earth. God is love and to reveal his glory will include sharing who he is with us. So love can't help but be a part of that. But his greatest commandment tells us to love him with everything we are. And his great commission says to spread his glory.

It was very convicting for us all, and just awesome for a youth group to hear, as they are a generation who are programmed to be completely self-indulgent and self-absorbed.

Side note:

We saw Leeland in concert. Woohoo!!!!! My friend Terri and I love his music so we were jubilant! He is just such a spirit filled, humble kid with a huge heart for God. And he is excellent live!

We also saw Charlie Hall, which we didn't even know would be there, so that was an added bonus.

We did sleep (if that's what you call dozing off and on for 4 hours) on a very hard floor,though, so there was some sacrifice involved.

Until next time........

Blindside

Mark 8
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
24He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."
Hebrews 13
11The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.


These are the verses on my mind. As you can see they all have a little something in common. I think I'm supposed to be stepping outside the familiar. I love Hebrews 13:13, go to him outside the camp. That's where he'll be, waiting.

I'm also partial to the blind man story, as lately I felt as though I was being lead around like a blind man. I'm not complaining. It's awesome. I am the kind of person that wants to see the big picture (according to my very good friend), and that's not what I'm experiencing right now. I take a step at a time, trying my best to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit. I just pray that he won't let me stray to the left or to the right, just forward.

I heard a sermon recently that painted an awesome portrait of the blind man for me. He said that this man allowing Jesus to lead him outside was a huge step of faith. For those that are blind, familiarity is everything. Twenty steps to the door, ten to the refrigerator, the couch is to my left, the table on the right. You take a blind man from his comfort zone, and he is completely vulnerable. And that's exactly where Christ lead this man. That's also where he was restored.

So........ I'm just holding my breath.........

Baby Step of Faith

I think 2007 is going to be a big year of change for me. Not that I didn't experience a lot of growth and change in 2006, but I just have the feeling that I'd better hold on tight for'07.

Yesterday, I lead worship at our church for the first time. It's been something I have felt lead to do for some time, but never persued it. I have always felt inadequate, still do, but I am beginning to realize being adequately educated and experienced is not neccessarily required if that's where God wants you to be.

I have a tendency to question myself, which is not always a bad thing. It keeps your motives straight. But the day before I was supposed to lead, I really began to question everything.

Why are you really doing this?

Is this really where God wants you, or are you forcing this along?

So I just threw myself back into prayer.

Then he showed me that he had lead me right up to this place. He has guided my steps, aligned me with certain people, and worked all of it to this point. I looked back and even upon my first "audition" with our worship pastor, I did not go out of my way to make it happen. My very good friend and #1 encourager grabbed him and said,"You must make her sing for you!" And there is no doubt in my mind that she has been a Godsend in my life.

I felt like I was at a cliff, and had to choose to step off and let God carry me the rest of the way.

Well, I felt very good about the whole thing. Of course, I was scared and very uncomfortable, but it fit. That's the only way I know how to say it.

It fit well.