Growing up in a Christian church my whole life, Lent has never been something that I have taken part in. I have always viewed it as a Catholic holiday and never felt a need to join in. You hear of people giving up chocolate, sweets, soda, meat, sex, etc; pretty random things for 40 days.
My church sends out emails every week on preparation for the sermon on Sunday, and this past week it was about sticking to Jesus, a new series we are starting. The email talked about lent and said:
"Did you know that Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent? If you are like me, growing up I was very confused as to why Christians made a big deal about left over hair and fabric balls stuck in my pockets or belly button…it's just lint! Thankfully, I later realized that "Lent" can be a life-saving season, and it's actually all about sticking…to Jesus.
If you've been a "Christian", but find it hard to stick to Jesus, then Lent is for you. Thomas Aquinas once said, “Every choice is a renunciation.” Though we tend to focus on what to give up during Lent (often times for self-fulfilling purposes), try asking the question: "What will free me up to hunger and thirst for God's goodness?" In other words, what can you detach from in order to stick to Jesus?
I get that. I get Lent as way of learning to stick to Jesus more, by detaching from earthly things or things that are keeping us from the Lord. I decided that I would pray about what I could give up or change in my life for the next 40 days to stick to Jesus more.
As I prayed and meditated on it the Lord revealed to me that I needed to give up sleep. I thought SLEEP!!! I dont have that to give! Right now I am sleeping about 6 hours on average a night and working 12-14 hour days at the boutique. I dont have a whole lot of extra time at all, and every moment outside of work needs to be strategically planned on how I am gonna get all that I need to get done completed. I have found that I am still getting time with the Lord, but it isnt enough. I wake up early enough most days to get a little time with God, get ready, and make my meals for the day, but if I wake up late, the first thing that gets cut is my time with God. Its SO not right at all, and makes such a huge difference in my day. My heart desires more than 15-20 mins with the Lord in the morning, but in order to do that I HAVE to get up earlier and sacrifice sleep.
I was praying about this, knowing that if I was going to give up something for lent, it would have to be something I really felt would push me closer to the Lord. I didnt want it to be something random just for the sake of giving something up. I wanted it to really be a sacrifice. Well, the Lord knew my heart and asked me to give up something I feel like I cant even give. But isnt that what we are supposed to do, give God the first fruits of our hearts, the things that we cherish most and be a LIVING SACRIFICE?? Our offerings to the Lord have to be a sacrifice or they really aren't an offering, because we arent giving anything of worth to God.
I opened my bible the next morning, still praying about this and knowing that if I was gonna make a covenant with the Lord for lent that I needed to be really serious about it. I am trying hard to feel the weight and seriousness of promises I make to the Lord. I am reading the Psalms and it said in Psalm 132:2-5:
"He swore an oath to the Lord and made a vow to the Mighty one of Jacob, I will not enter my house or go to bed- I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob."
If that wasn't confirmation from the Lord I don't know what is! It was literally written for me! It was a total slap in the face thinking, of course! Why would I even desire to sleep until I knew my heart was right with the Lord and until I sought the Lord with all that I am??
So, in conclusion, I am giving up sleep for Lent to spend more time with the Lord. I told the Lord to have mercy on me as I seek to do this, bc my little body LOVES sleep, and I know I am not gonna do it perfectly! I encourage you girls as well, although lent has already started to pray about if there is something that you could fast or give up this lent season in order to stick to Christ more. What in your life do you need to detach from to see Christ more clearly? I encourage you to pick something that is hard. The more we rely on the Lord the more His Glory is shown. Not to us, but to HIM be the GLORY! This is the whole concept of us being called to be a living sacrifice. Its all for HIS GLORY!!
May you all rely on the Lord in bigger ways this Lent season!
I love you!
Natalie
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Being an Example of His Message
This is the devotion from My Utmost for His Highest today! So good. Thought I would share with you girls. Remember our High Calling that we are set apart to live by. Be a light today girls, there is so much work God desires to do in and through our hearts!!
Love you all! Natalie
Being an Example of His Message
Preach the word! —2 Timothy 4:2
We are not saved only to be instruments for God, but to be His sons and daughters. He does not turn us into spiritual agents but into spiritual messengers, and the message must be a part of us. The Son of God was His own message— “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). As His disciples, our lives must be a holy example of the reality of our message. Even the natural heart of the unsaved will serve if called upon to do so, but it takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose to make a person’s life a holy example of God’s message.
There is a difference between giving a testimony and preaching. A preacher is someone who has received the call of God and is determined to use all his energy to proclaim God’s truth. God takes us beyond our own aspirations and ideas for our lives, and molds and shapes us for His purpose, just as He worked in the disciples’ lives after Pentecost. The purpose of Pentecost was not to teach the disciples something, but to make them the incarnation of what they preached so that they would literally become God’s message in the flesh. “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8).
Allow God to have complete liberty in your life when you speak. Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you. Gather your material carefully, and then allow God to “set your words on fire” for His glory.
Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 12:1-27
Love you all! Natalie
Being an Example of His Message
Preach the word! —2 Timothy 4:2
We are not saved only to be instruments for God, but to be His sons and daughters. He does not turn us into spiritual agents but into spiritual messengers, and the message must be a part of us. The Son of God was His own message— “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). As His disciples, our lives must be a holy example of the reality of our message. Even the natural heart of the unsaved will serve if called upon to do so, but it takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose to make a person’s life a holy example of God’s message.
There is a difference between giving a testimony and preaching. A preacher is someone who has received the call of God and is determined to use all his energy to proclaim God’s truth. God takes us beyond our own aspirations and ideas for our lives, and molds and shapes us for His purpose, just as He worked in the disciples’ lives after Pentecost. The purpose of Pentecost was not to teach the disciples something, but to make them the incarnation of what they preached so that they would literally become God’s message in the flesh. “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8).
Allow God to have complete liberty in your life when you speak. Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you. Gather your material carefully, and then allow God to “set your words on fire” for His glory.
Bible in One Year: Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 12:1-27
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Sound of Gods Voice
“But this is what I command, obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.” Jeremiah 7:16
Sometimes the easiest of commands are the hardest to follow. I want to obey Gods voice, but how do I know what voice is His? Often times I feel the tug on my heart directing me to pick up a phone, send an email, or letter of encouragement. I often times blow these feelings off as “just me.” But God wants us to obey His voice. With so many voices it can be hard to know which voice is coming from God. The more and more I grow knowing the Lord the more His voice becomes familiar to me.
My brother got married this weekend. The ceremony was sweet. I was a bridesmaid and had been busy for weeks working on decorations for the wedding. It was not until I turned the corner walking down the aisle that it hit me that my brother was getting married. I made it a few steps down the aisle when I looked at my brother and he took a breath. It was not just any breath, it was a “I am about to start crying breath.” I lost is, and then he started crying. After the ceremony I had everyone teasing me about crying, and I could not explain that it was a face expression that my brother made that made me cry. Why? It is because I know Him. I can just here someone walking down the hall of my house and I can tell you who it is. It is because for years I have grown accustomed to the sounds of my family members. Little steps, the way they breathe, face expressions, little noises. It is the same way with the LORD. The more we spend time hearing his voice, gleaning from His word; we begin to recognize the voice of the LORD. And as we have all experienced, God only guides us because He has a perfect plan for our lives.
Prayer: Dear heavenly father I pray that your voice would become so clear to us. God please help us to know what you are calling us to do. Let us not doubt who you have created us to be. Lord fill us with love and passion to do your will. God as we begin this New Year, let us live lives that bring you glory.
Xoxo
Ashley
Sometimes the easiest of commands are the hardest to follow. I want to obey Gods voice, but how do I know what voice is His? Often times I feel the tug on my heart directing me to pick up a phone, send an email, or letter of encouragement. I often times blow these feelings off as “just me.” But God wants us to obey His voice. With so many voices it can be hard to know which voice is coming from God. The more and more I grow knowing the Lord the more His voice becomes familiar to me.
My brother got married this weekend. The ceremony was sweet. I was a bridesmaid and had been busy for weeks working on decorations for the wedding. It was not until I turned the corner walking down the aisle that it hit me that my brother was getting married. I made it a few steps down the aisle when I looked at my brother and he took a breath. It was not just any breath, it was a “I am about to start crying breath.” I lost is, and then he started crying. After the ceremony I had everyone teasing me about crying, and I could not explain that it was a face expression that my brother made that made me cry. Why? It is because I know Him. I can just here someone walking down the hall of my house and I can tell you who it is. It is because for years I have grown accustomed to the sounds of my family members. Little steps, the way they breathe, face expressions, little noises. It is the same way with the LORD. The more we spend time hearing his voice, gleaning from His word; we begin to recognize the voice of the LORD. And as we have all experienced, God only guides us because He has a perfect plan for our lives.
Prayer: Dear heavenly father I pray that your voice would become so clear to us. God please help us to know what you are calling us to do. Let us not doubt who you have created us to be. Lord fill us with love and passion to do your will. God as we begin this New Year, let us live lives that bring you glory.
Xoxo
Ashley
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