( picture is from crossmap.com )

there is something about the ohio valley in the autumn that is quite beautiful. like something i have never seen anywhere else. there is something inspiring about sitting on a far hill side, looking out over the water of the river and see hill upon hill of forests. you can look out for miles through the valley and see nothing but the trees in their hues of brown, marroon, oranges, and yellows. it is like looking at a painting that only the most amazing Artist could ever paint. His beauty radiates in everything. He shows His majesty in everything through-out this earth..is it not His?

so what can i give to One who is so glorious? so worthy of everything? what can i offer to Him?

my life.

all of it.

i offer Him all of me so that He can paint His own picture and be the Arist..the Author of my faith and my life. i allow Him to mold and shape me into something He can fill with Himself.
just as it says in isaiah 64:8

“yes, oh Lord, You are the Father, we are the clay, You are the Potter, we are the work of Your hands.” ”

take this life…use it for Your glory. paint the picture of my life.
 it’s not mine, it’s Yours. radiate in me today, Jesus..

we do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or

schooling, while keeping parts to ourselves. the idea is to live all of our lives in

the presence of God, under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory

of God. that is what the Christian life is all about.

{ r.c. sproul }

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
grant that i may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.

francis of assisi

“but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James 3:17-18

a song has been going through my head all night by keith green…“oh Lord, You’re beautiful”…in it, he talks about taking His word, living for Christ, without seeking a crown. if we are to love as He loved, to show peace..to show others Christ…we must always give the glory to Him. right now, in this point in my life…He is the only one i seek. where i am on this path, has taken me to a place where nothing else can satisfy, can fill these desires than Him. i can only pray that in being Christ-like, i can bring glory to His name. is this not what Christians are supposed to do? are we not supposed to live an uncompromised live that leads an example in this world? are we not to fix our eyes on our first Love?


” i love You. my heart is Yours…only Yours.
i long to give you all of me. my everything. my everything…”

“i eagerly give up all my prized possesions, i unhestitatingly forgo the
 pleasure of my most intimate friendships, and without reservation, void
 all my greatest achievements for the amazing and pricless opportuinty
to intimately know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.” philippians 3:8 (paraphrase)

” ‘trust Me, my child’  He says. “trust Me with a fuller abandon than you ever

have before. trust Me, as minute succeeds minute, every day of You life, for

as long as you live. and if you become consious of anything hindering our

relationship, do not hurt Me by turning away from Me. draw all the closer to

Me, come, run to Me. allow Me to hide you, protect you, even from yourself.

tell Me your deepest cares, your every trouble. trust Me to keep My hand

upon you. I will never leave you. i will shape you, mold you, and perfect you.

do not fear, o child of My love, do not fear. I love you.”
~ amy carmichael 

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“cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do i trust;
cause me to know the way in which i should walk, for i lift up my soul to You. ” psalm 143:8

this weekend we went down to louisiana to meet up with a pastor. with him, his family, others from california and texas we went to bogalusa, louisiana. this is a very poor neighborhood in which the people still do not have electricity and running water. the Lord was faithful and we were able to find a church parking lot in the town where we could park the trucks and distribute the things. as everyone passed things out, we were also able to pray with the people and encourage them. it broke my heart seeing the little kids so excited over a coloring book or talking with an elderly man who loved his little dog. we passed out Bibles and actually had people ask for them. one lady told me that her husband was a street preacher and needed study Bibles. another girl, walked away with one of my books from our car. we also had a doctor with us from california who went from house to house seeing who needed medical attention.

“…whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks
of the Water that I shall give him will never thirst. but the water that
 I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing
up into everlasting life.” john 4:13-14

 

..that others may see Christ that they might not thirst again. not just when a hurricane hits, or a disaster happens..but 24/7. may we live a surrendered life that shows others that there is One who will satisfy them and bring them to a place of hope and rest.

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not i, but Your grace
not i, but Your mercy
not i, but Your love
not i , but Christ…
~neah lee

i run up to a fence at a shelter where i see an older mother and daughter sitting under an umbrella trying to avoid the unbearable heat. i see they have very little with them. a few things that they have managed to save before the hurricane hit.

i begin to talk to the mother behind the fence. as she stands, i hand her a new Bible. with tears in her eyes, she smiles, and kisses it.

“oh, this is all i have. this is all i have to get me through this. thank you…bless you.” she says as she holds her new cherised possession.

the daughter sits holding a dog as i ask her if she would like one too. “honey, i already have mine.”

i hand them a couple of devotionals and say goodbye…the mother, her eyes still gleaming. never in my life have i seen someone rejoicing over God’s Word…. it was beautiful…

You are my all, all the time…without rest
unto You be glory
unto You be honor
unto You be praises Jesus
forever..
~shane barnard


… this was just one instance that happened these past few days. this weekend i was in lousisana, alabama, and mississipi helping out some with the hurricane. i have never seen such destruction. you do not realize the amount of damage that was done and the needs of people until you are actually there in the midst of it all. it will take years for everything to be as it was. it was really amazing… it showed how great and powerful the Lord truly is. how sovereign and mericful He is. it showed me how much we take for granted every second of every day….who are we to complain? who am i to show discontentment?

some guys from work, dad, and i will be going back down next weekend taking more supplies donated by the church and family. we are going to try and go into neighborhoods that haven’t been reached yet. the people do not only need materials but also encouragement and love. bringing light into people’s days who have lost everything. talking to a single mom that will have no home to go to…no way to support her family. talking to the little kid on the street carrying a bag with his only possesions. whenever and wherever we are may we show others that there is hope in the One who gave all for them. even if it is the simplest act…Lord, be glorified.

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“oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! …His paths beyong tracing out! for from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. to Him be the glory forever..” romans 11-33:36 (revised)

ah…. the beauty of the Lord. i am in awe that He has brought me to this place where nothing else matters-all is rubbish in the sight of Him. i am awe of His un-ending grace that He has freely given- it is more; so much more, than i deserve…and yet He proves Himself faithful.

“o God, You are my God, earnestly i seek You;
my soul thirsts for You
…because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
i will praise You as long as i live.”
psalm 63: 1-4

i love You Lord
and for You i wait;
Your promises
and Your power are great.
make haste, my God,
may i taste Your ways
i will maginfy Your sweet peace
all of my days
~john piper

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who am i
that You would love me so gently?
who am i
that You would recognize my name?
Lord, who am i
that You would speak to me so softly?
conversation with the Love most high…
who am i?
~ watermark

… so i have just come back from a day long trip to the large city of chicago, accompanied by my dad. i am not sure how many people travel from cincinnati to chicago (and back) in one day…but we managed to do it, and succeeded quite well! we visited the sears tower, moody bible institute, and all of that good stuff…not to mention, it was a blessing to finally spend some time with him.

lately, the Lord has been teaching me so much about unconditional love. while driving home tonight, these verses were brought to mind:

“and why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? or how can you say to your brother, ‘let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? hyprocrite! first remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” matthew 7:3-5

how convicting these few verses are! oh Lord, why am i so quick to judge others? why am i continually distracted by things instead of keeping my eyes fixed on You? help me to have unconditional love and a humble heart…

“the home of our soul is to be the love of Christ. we are to live our life there. this is what Christ means for our life to be and what He really can make it. our continuous living in the vine is to be living in His love.

turn away from the visible if you would see and possess the invisible. turn away from yourself and your efforts if you would have your heart filled with Him and the certainty of His love. come away from all else, and set your heart on Jesus and His love. occupy yourself with that love, worship it, and wait for it. you may be sure it will reach out to you and by its power take you up into itself as your home. our life must have its breath and being in a heavenly love as much as His.” ~ andrew murray

“…and above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins’ “ 1 peter 4:8

…i pray that i will exhort the love of Christ in my life so that You may be glorified.
my eyes fixed soley on Jesus.. may this life show the love of You.

i am seeking to go beyond this comfortable way of Christian living…only to do His will in my life and live as a servant who is willing to obey what He says. how i see so few who are willing anymore, to go ‘against the grain.’ to move forward. in the Church, we have been drenched in traditions and feast on temporary satisfaction that leave us empty–oh, how we need the one and only Satisfier! however…are we willing? are we willing to go against these traditions? are we willing to take a step of faith onto uncommon ground? are we willing to give up our own wants and desires so that Christ may be fufilled in our lives? i am seeking you Lord..oh, i am willing..

“…they made an exchange. they exchanged life as they knew it for life as God knew it should be. they exchanged the right to do with their bodies however they saw fit for the life of a servant who only does what the Master requests. they exchanged their dreams and ambitions for God’s great and dramatic plan for their lives. they exchanged a life ruled and controlled by sin for a life victorious of sin, clothes with joy and triumph. such is the secret of every man and woman of God. it’s the solemn exchange of a humble human life for His majestic holy life.

…it sounds like a wonderful concept. but most of us stand in the way of letting Christ live in and through us. instead of giving Him the ownership papers to our home-our body and soul-we treat Him like a hired servant. but the true Christian life doesn’t work that way. when we exchange our life for Christ’s, we lay our agendas, dreams, desires, and plans at His feet. we get completely out of the way and allow Him to live His Life through us in whatever way He chooses.”
 ~ eric & leslie ludy (when God writes your life story)

“when the heart sees what God wants, the body must be willing to spend
and be spent for that cause alone.” oswald chambers

and so now i am on my way..traveling up north to visit good family and friends for a week or so  …Lord, i don’t know what Your plans are for me just yet–and maybe i never will…but i pray that You will use me as You wish as i abide in You…for Your glory alone..

“come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths..” micah 4:2

last night i arrived in america…no longer am i in europe

 

i had a very blessed trip…incredibly thankful that i was able to visit the countries that i did and meet the people that i met and see the things that i saw. i spent a day in paris (and saw the eiffel tower from the sky)   then, for about three weeks i stayed in germany with a sister in Christ and her family. the last week i was able to stay in holland (the netherlands) with a great brother in Christ and his precious family. with the time i had on my hands, i was able to spend much time with the Lord, praying, studying, and reading…which in itself, was wonderful.

now that i am back in the states, i’m finding that i really miss europe and its simpler way of living. america seems to be very blessed to the point that it seems lazy, indolent, and ungrateful. my eyes were opened to the fact that we take very much for granted here in america…oh, may i always have a thankful heart…

 

here are just a few pictures from the trip…be blessed

 

 

part of the bückeburg castle in germany    

 

 

a garden on a castle permises

 

 

  

a smaller castle in petershagen, germany

 

ah, i have never seen so many windmills in my life      

 

 …another small castle door

 

 one week in germany i spent working in a church remodeling a youth room

 

 

some of the youth group and i (far right)

 

 

lovely flowers in a german garden 

 

 

ah, giethoorn in holland…beautiful canals and lakes (thank you paul)

 

such cute cottage-like homes…i think i will be moving into one of these soon

 

amsterdam! the house of anne frank

 

 

a church in the well-known city of amsterdam–burial place of rembrandt

 

 

awaiting the flight to cincinnati, u.s.a….

 

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oh, all that I can do

is hold onto You

and follow where You lead

where Your leading me

all that i can do

is hold onto You

and let You bring me through

its all that i can do…

~b.d.

 

“lead me, oh Lord in Your righteousness…make straight Your way before me..” psalm 5:8