Summer.

Summer.
Summer to me usually ends a season of life, and it usually ends with a particular theme.
In one word, I would sum up this summer as bittersweet.
Bitter, because it was probably one of the worst summer's of my life. & yes, I can honestly say that.
Sweet, because in the midst of some of the most hard and depressing days of my life my Jesus took me through a process. He slowed down life, showed me the simple things, the things about Himself.
I saw Jesus when all the nicey, nice stuff was gone. When all the self righteousness and pride we make Him to be is gone...just who He REALLY was.

Jesus became simple to me. HE showed me that christianity really isn't all the work we make it to be. It isn't about proving ourselves and our love for Jesus to others. We make it that though...we create this movement of show, and then label it "Jesus". But Jesus just dosen't care much about our "show", HE just wants us to love HIM, plain and simple. TO stop working at it. We make what HE calls plain and simple, so complicated when we create an atmosphere and christianity around us of self righteousness & pride.

Jesus became simple to me. When everything we build up and make HIM to be is stripped away and it is just HIM, and us. SIMPLE. SO BEAUTIFUL.

Now, as summer winds down and the next "season" begins, I pray it won't be as hard. But also, that the Jesus I came to know wouldn't leave my mind. That the simple things about HIM will forever stay etched on my heart. That I won't stray away from the simple.

Peace. Love. Joy.

Grasping Thin Air.

Grasping thin air, reaching for significance.
Fingers unable to touch the relevance of your victory.
This struggle with myself, this battle in my mind.
Dark places make your face difficult to find.
Wanting to be near you, but feeling the cold.
I cry out with my voice.
Trying to break the noise,
that separates my ability to hear your comfort.
I know you are there, you never leave my side.
And in these scary places, only in you can I confide.
Pour your sweet joy into me, for it is my only strength.
And the abundance you secure for me has no measures or length.
Transform my thoughts.
Heal my hearts longings.
Secure your word in me, and repel these wordly things.
I want to be yours, and have you as mine.
To have everything else in my life align.
You are beautiful,I desire only you.
Reveal these emotions behind this song as true.
You never fail me, you never forsake me.
Just let me touch your cloak today.
One touch and I know things don't have to continue this way.

Written by the amazing, Chelsea Steward.

Peace. Love. Joy.

Going With The Flow.

Going With The Flow.

So, once upon a time..
I got a speeding ticket..
which led to me going to court,
which led to me freaking out,
which led me to think...
about me freaking out.
Which went deeper,
and deeper,
until I came to an illustration of life.

The whole point I was speeding,
well it was because I was going with the flow.
Our natural tendency, is to do just that..
go with the flow.
It takes a certain determination & will to not.
At least I think.
We can so easily just do whatever everyone else is doing,
because we feel pressure to do so.

We have to work at not going with the flow.
Of just knowing we have to do what we have to do,
despite what those around us are doing.
It takes work.
But, it's worth it in the end.
After all it might save you from freaking out about court again.
:p

Peace. Love. Joy!

Why is it?

Why is it?
That we chase people...
that we allow them to define us.
And not just in the world,
in the church.

Why is is that we make celebrities out of preachers?
out of worship leaders?
out of ministries?

Why is is that we can say this worship is better than that worship..
or that ministry is better than this ministry?

We end up worshiping a particular worship leader...
a particular preacher...
a particular ministry.

When did it become about them,
and not God.
When did we decide we could say one ministry is better than another..
it's not even their ministry to begin with.

We go around, usually with good intentions...
and we can become so obsessed with people.
We end up looking just like the world.
Just in our own little box.

And, I think we miss out on another person's gifting or anointing..
because we keep our focus on one thing..
on one person...
one ministry.

Why is it that we do that?

Why can't we just simply be obsessed with
ONE..
the ultimate,
ONE,
Jesus?
Why can't HE define us?
After all, HE has got the best ministry around.
=)
Peace. Love. Joy.