To live is Christ, and to die is gain.

God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘you have done wrong’?

Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. All mankind has seen it; men gaze on it from afar. How great is God-beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out!

He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams, the clouds pour down their moisture, and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach! 

At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place! Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. 

He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor. The animals take cover; they remain in their dens. The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds. 

The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them. At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them. He brings the clouds to punish men, or to water his earth and show his love.

Job 36 & 37

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God; 
   my hope comes from him. 
⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation; 
   he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 
⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God^[a]; 
   he is my mighty rock, my refuge. 
⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people; 
   pour out your hearts to him, 
   for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

I Peter 2:9

“Though I have brought many pleasures into your life, not one of them is essential. Receive My blessings with open hands. Enjoy My good gifts, but do not cling to them. Turn your attention to the Giver of all good things, and rest in the knowledge that you are complete in Me.”

I need to stop clinging to the ground.

The Lord holds me.  

Sitting in silence with a friend. Just sitting. Together.

There is a mighty battle going on for control of your mind. heaven and earth intersect in your mind; the tugs of both spheres influence your thinking. I created you with the capacity to experience foretastes of heaven. When you shut out the world and focus on My Presence, you can enjoy sitting with Me in heavenly realms. This is an incredible privilege reserved for precious ones who belong to Me and seek My Face. Your greatest strength is your desire to spend time communing with Me. As you concentrate on Me, My Spirit fills your mind with Life and Peace. 

The world exerts a downward pull on your thoughts. Media bombard you with greed, lust, and cynicism. When you face these things, pray for protection and discernment. Stay in continual communication with Me whenever you walk through the wastelands of this world. Refuse to worry, because this form of worldliness will weigh you down and block awareness of My Presence. Stay alert, recognizing the battle being waged against your mind. Look forward to an eternity of strife-free living, reserved for you in heaven.

Ephesians 2:6; Psalm 27:8; Romans 8:6; I John 2:15-17 

I feel like I’m at camp, but I’m at school.

I have three wonderful co’s that I live with.

I am so thankful.

Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

The last phrase in one of Come Thou Fount’s stanzas is

“Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above!”

“The Greek word for seal is sphragizo, which has a twofold meaning in Ephesians 4:30. First, to seal is to ‘close up and make fast with a seal signet such as letters of books so that they may not be read.’ Secondly, it means ‘to set a seal of mark upon a thing as a token of its authenticity or approvedness.’ The seal of the Holy Spirit is for protection and identification. We are identified as joint heirs with Christ, and we are protected from the entrance of any other entity or identity…”

(…and ha, the title is punny, funny, funnty punnty …laugh, laugh)

“In an airplane
I take the window seat
A thousand feet
And all I know shrinks in minutes
And when the sky is gray
I want to believe
That when the sun is hiding
It still exists

In an airplane
Are kings and common men
At the window side my side
Their view is now the same
Some relax and rest their eyes
Some sit on the edge
As we all break through the clouds
Into the light of day

Mountain tops peak through
This is where I see you
I’ve never seen a clearer blue
This is where I see you

Leave behind your busy life
All you have is who you are
Space like this is hard to find
So breathe it in
Someone will say, “Where are you headed?”
And it might be the first time
You ever thought about it

A baby’s talking two rows behind me
The sun just set for the second time today
You seem to use the smallest things around me
To get me to this place”

I’m so thankful for Bethany Dillon!

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple…

Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations - their kings led in triumphal procession. For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined. 

Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. 

…I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler. No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. (Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, Hallelujah…)

The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 

Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. The are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation! (Glorious Celebration!) 

I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly. 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and intead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. 

‘For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.’

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”

Isaiah 60 - 61

Love is forever. 

 To love is to be kind. Love is forever. To love is to be gentle. Love is forever. To love is to be funny. Love is forever. To love is to feel. Love is forever. To love is to call out. Love is forever. To love is to be patient. Love is forever. To love is to hug. Love is forever. To love is to gaze upon. Love is forever. To love is to communicate. Love is forever. To love is to give. Love is forever. To love is to have joy. Love is forever. To love is to do good. Love is forever. To love is to delight. Love is forever. To love is to be thankful. Love is forever. To love is to die. Love is forever. To love is to be one. 

Jesus Christ is forever.

                                                                      Let’s craft!