In ONE sentence...

...share what God is teaching you at this time.

Mine: To be CONSTANT in the WORD!

Matthew 4:4 - Man cannot live by bread alone. He must feed off every Word that proceeds the mouth of God.

Zephany, Pilgrimage Collection

I found this picture online when searching the word pilgrimage. I love it.
To me this painting symbolizes, wounds, faith, grace, strength, beauty, and war all in one. 
As Christians, that's a lot of what we represent. 
We're on a continuous pilgrimage. 
Although our path is narrow, our hope is wide. 
Often times I get discouraged, trying to figure out what carrying my cross actually looks like daily, but then again I'm reminded, I don't have to take the lead on that, Christ in me has already gone before me.
I just need to simply follow.  
He is the author and perfecter of our faith. 
Hebrews 12:2
Keep pressing. 
He is the perfect leader. 
The perfect guide. 
The perfect companion. 
The perfect role-model.
The perfect inspiration. 
The perfect peace. 
The perfect faith. 
The perfect hope. 
The perfect truth. 
The perfect friend. 
The perfect helper. 
The perfect strength. 
The perfect anchor. 
Simply, perfect.

Press On

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect: 

but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 

Philippians  3:12

No matter how discouraged you may feel about life, or a certain situation, keep pressing, keep pushing into God. We are not perfect people, but Christ in us is perfect. Keep pressing into Him! Never stop! 

Jesus has you :)

Dependence

I titled this post "Dependence," because the more I read the Bible the more I realize how much my dependence needs to be on God. Also, the more I read and fellowship with Him I realize how unworthy I am to be used by Him. I've been struggling these past fews days feeling guilty for not measuring up to the Love God has for me. I'm fighting a battle of guilt that comes when you realize how badly you NEED Him. I know I shouldn't feel guilty, because Jesus paid it all...so I'm trying. I press on in hopes of believing and living out the truth. I'm surrendering these feelings, and this helplessness to Him. 

The following came to mind last night while I was wrestling with this tension. 

He encamps my heart.
     He calls me to a mission of obedience,
        to a surrender of love,

          and to a commitment of faith.

:: New Beginnings & Fresh Starts ::

I'm all about new beginnings and fresh starts and that is what the New Year is to me. 

I might not always the best at keeping to these new beginnings and fresh starts, but I like to think that I at least try, which is better than nothing right?

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.  -Dale Carnegie

Be always at War with your vices,
at peace with your neighbors,
and let each New Year find you
a better person. -Benjamin Franklin

For me personally I read B.Franklin's quote as "your vices" being the iniquities within myself. 

If I don't turn to fight them daily, then their is no hope in trying for anything greater. 

The war begins within myself.  

It begins with self-examination, which by choice either leads to change or stagnation.  

Lord willing, I choose the change.

Change is already there. I must be willing to reach out and take it. 

Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. -LORD

 

Here's most of our goals for the year. 

We decided to write them out like this so we can observe them daily. 

Our #1 goal is to read the Bible daily and read it all the way through in one year. 

I personally have never done this before. So far we're on track, and I absolutely LOVE it. 

I feel guilty that I've been missing out for so long. God has been pouring, more like DOWN POURING into me through His Word. I am SO blessed by it. 

I could go on and on and on about the things He's teaching me through it.

The Word is meant to be our life. Our substance. Our truth. 

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.- Matthew 4:4

How can we be and make disciples if we ourselves are not being discipled through the written manual God specifically ordained for US?  

This is my focus: To experience more of God's POWER in my life through His Word, and through a relationship with Him. 

We have a choice to either allow Satan's power to rule, or God's power to rule in and over us. 

Lord willing I'm striving to choose God's power and I hope you are too.

 

I transformed this frame into a chalkboard, wrote our goals on it, 

and then both Kevin and I signed it. 

 

:: Cheers to new beginnings and to fresh starts!!  ::