God is Oh-So-Very Big

I recently came back from a trip to Colorado; my first trip in that part of the U.S! Needless to say, it was incredibly beautiful. I am once again floored by God's beauty. I could spend hours talking about just how beautiful the clouds on the drive from Denver to Telluride were, and even that would not do them justice. The mountains were enormous and makes a person feel so itsy-bitsy. I've added a few pictures here, but these don't even begin to scratch the surface! This is probably one of the most beautiful places I've been to in the U.S. Every time I look through these pictures, I can't help but want to worship my awesome Creator! SUCH a place of peace.

Then there was the hike that Jace, his brother Shane, and I took up Mount Snuffles to see the Blue Lakes, which are actually THIS blue.

And last but not least, Box Canyon Falls!

I am so thankful that I had the chance to go on this trip!

Hold on Tight

My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14)

All we have to do is hold on tight. God's got us, we just have to trust in him. Waves might seem really big to us, but to him they're nothing. Let him pick you up and lift you over them.

Much Ado About Nothing

It's not about us - it's about God, it's about Jesus. And nothing else matters but him.



In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored

When You call I won't refuse
Each new day again I'll choose

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos, in confusion
I know You're Sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will

When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my days

All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord Forevermore

- Hillsong United, None But Jesus

Be Still

I recently received a scholarship that I really needed to go to college. That's pretty cool in and of itself, but the even cooler thing are the events that led up to it. Two days before I got the scholarship(June 2nd), I read the wrong devotion. Oooooooooh. scary. Instead of reading June 2nd from the devotion book, I skipped it and read June 3rd. It wasn't a big deal at all and I figured I would just read the 2nd on the 3rd and go on. It got to the 3rd and the whole day I kept worrying and worrying about whether or not I got the scholarship and worrying about what I would do if I didn't. For some reason the verse "Be still and know that I am God," kept going through my head. I didn't know why at the time but I just kept saying it over and over to myself. That night, I opened up the devotional and read June 2nd and guess what the verse was for that night?
Psalm 46:10 - " Be still and know that I am God."
I realized that the entire day I had been worrying for nothing! It didn't matter if I got the scholarship or not because God was still in control and was taking care of me no matter what happened. His plans aren't necessarilly mine and just because something doesn't go according to my plans doesn't mean that he's dropped the ball.
I also realized that if I hadn't read the wrong devotion the day before, I never would have read that verse that night. God planned it out so that I would get the encouragement I needed just when I needed it!
Anyway, all that to say that I serve an awesome God who has got me in the palm of his hand. I am so thankful that he provided the money for me to go to college and that he gave me a sign that I am doing the right thing and am on the right track.

Psalm 62:1-2

"My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken."
Wow. This is heavy stuff. NEVER be shaken. Not by anything? My soul finds rest only in God and nothing else?
Sometimes on days like today when I am buried up to my neck in work (now I am participating in what many have fondly called break time), when I am stressed because of the many tasks I have committed to, and when it seems like I will never have enough time to complete all of them, it seems like my only rest will come when it's all over. But is that really true? After this is over, something else will inevitably come up.
I doubt that there will be a lot of times in my life that I am not busy. SO it stands to reason that I will absolutely go stark raving mad if I wait until these times come to find rest and peace!!!
Finding peace doesn't necessarily have to be about getting away from noise and craziness and responsibility and going on vacation. Yes, sometimes that can be peaceful. But true, lasting peace comes when we are standing in the midst of every possible thing that life has to throw at us and we say,"Ok, God. You're in charge. I put my trust in you."
And boy is that a heck of a lot harder to do than to say. Even as I write this I'm still thinking in the back of my mind of all of the things that I have to get done. It's a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute, moment-by-moment task to give up control. It's not a one time thing!
But it has to be done. Because if I choose to put my trust in my own abilities to accomplish the tasks given to me, then I will have put my trust in something that is only temporary and doomed to failure.
My soul finds rest in God alone, not in myself.

Gentle Whisperer

We live in an extremely busy world. Everything centers around speed and efficiency. We like our food microwaved or drive through, our Walgreen's around the corner so we don't have to drive far, and of course one can't leave out email, facebook, twitter, texting and IM that make it possible to go through an entire day without seeing a single human being. We live by staring at the clock, watching time pass and wishing it would pass faster so that we could go on to the next exciting venture.
But it someone asked you what you would rather do on a Saturday, spend a day lounging at a spa or on the beach versus doing laundry, dishes, that project for English, scholarships and applications and reading for AP, most people would take the relaxing day in a heartbeat. If you get to the heart of things, you really just want a chance to relax and a little time to rest.
God wants us to have that too! He says , "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). He wants us to get away sometimes so that we can hear his voice. It's hard to hear him when we're running around trying to cram in as much as possible into our days. But God didn't come to Elijah in the powerful wind or the earthquake or the fire. He came in a gentle whisper (I Kings 19:11-13). As much as sometimes we'd like to deny it, God knows that deep inside you need and want rest. And so he comes to us when we stop and when we have time to hear him.
Take time to listen to him and hear his voice.