Give Thanks

Appropriate for today and everyday.

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Whether you are in a home feasting with loved ones, struggling with relationships, celebrating alone, sleeping on the street, sick with a burdened heart or grieving a loss, give thanks.  Your God sees you.  Your Christ lives and, by His blood, is making you new.  Though we have nothing, we have much reason for rejoicing.

10 Year-Old Brilliance

  Autism Speaks: How are you going to make friends in your own world?

Forgiven and Loved pt 3

“Forgiveness transcends finite human reason.  The mere thought that one’s entire sin account can be utterly eradicated is staggering.  Yet it is quite clear that the forgiveness of sins strikes at the very core of human need and experience.  It speaks of guilt gone, remorse removed, depression disappearing and emptiness of life eradicated.  What power there is in forgiveness!  And it all comes abundantly from the gracious hand of God.”

Lewis A. Drummond, quoted in The Voice from the Cross (Grand Rapids, 1990), page 18.

Forgiveness is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Forgiven and Loved pt 2

Two days after I had posted Forgiven and Loved, Scott Mehl preached the sermon, It is Finished.  Once again God's timing is stellar!  For me, it was the perfect Halloween sermon, reaffirming what God had been telling me all month. 
I highly recommend you take a listen.
The enemy wishes us to remember our lawless deeds.  Our merciful Father remembers them no more.  Jesus died once for all!

Autism the Musical and The Miracle Project

For the past five years I have been met with great frustration. I knew I had talents in acting, dance and music, but with a new illness my body was too weak to perform. I was heart broken and left to wonder why God would give me such passion for the arts without the ability to carry them out.

Two years ago I thought it would be cool to teach arts to underprivileged children. I was constantly looking in at locations for rent (there were so many after the recession) and dreaming of turning one into a studio. Even though I was excited, I knew I was still not well enough.

A year ago, as I was volunteering at a pregnancy clinic I was convicted. Although my help there was good, I was in the wrong place. God wanted me to work with children; children with special needs, who were outcast and undervalued.

This week I have taken the first step toward what I believe God made me for.   I see that if He hadn't broken my body, I might be an actress in Hollywood not using the spiritual gifts given to me at my new birth.  This epiphany and opportunity come as I am beginning to feel better... in God's perfect timing.

Here is a peek at what I hope to do:

Beautiful Things

I am SUPER tired, but wanted to share this song with you today.

Beautiful Things by Gungor

All this pain
I wonder if I'll ever find my way?
I wonder if my life could really change 

at all?
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come up from this ground 

at all?

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found 

in You

Oh, you make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
Making me new

Oh, you make beautiful things
(You make me new)
You make beautiful things out of the dust
(You are making me new, making me new)

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new