today's verse

open up the heavens

hey all,

life's been a little crazy lately and I haven't had a ton of time to blog or be creative, or think actually, so sorry for my lack of posts.

Here's a verse I've been meditating on lately.   I've been trying to focus on seeing God's glory and letting in reign down in my life.

(also i wanted to use a brush set i downloaded on photoshop from here)

where have you seen God's glory lately?

are you always letting Him show His glory in your life?

my life lately

top left: a beautiful michigan country road

bottom left: BIGGBY!  Finally there is a Biggby in Holland.

Bottom middle (2): taking a walk with mom and sis and our cute pup Desha

top right: spent the afternoon reading Vertical Church by James McDonald. it's absolutely amazing

below that: miss charlotte

below that: spinach and strawberry salad with poppy seed dressing.  it's by far my favorite salad (and maybe my only)

below that (bottom right): my little lily pad.  i can't believe how fast she is growing.  my heart aches to see her.

well i'm off to a shower and two weddings this weekend.  sure it'll be busy, but it will be lovely and happy and fun (and everything good)!

xoxo kara

more on trust

i've been doing my devotions via the book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.  it is so wonderful.  every time i open it, i'm hit by truth and major issues (or the heart of the issue, rather) that i'm dealing with currently.  this book has been a blessing.  i have to give a shout out to ms.donna who gifted it to me for my birthday. thanks :) 

i've been evaluating (based on messages and things i've been reading lately) my life as a christian.  i've notice that i'm spending a lot of time thinking and praying for others.  which is great and all, but i've been spending barely to no time focused on my personal relationship with God.  and this is where the book has been great. 

today i was challenged by fact that i "waste time and energy wishing for a different set of circumstances."  what i need to do is to trust in Him enough to "yield to His design and purposes."

do you ever feel like that?

do you ever wish things were different?

doesn't it ALWAYS take your focus off God and reduce your trust in him?

Isaiah 43:1 

But thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob, 

he who formed you, O Israel;

"fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine"

Amen to that.

love and trust

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.  For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been in perfect love."

1 John 4:18

Do we often embrace the perfect love in which God loves us?  How often do we feel like we need to "clean up" before coming to the cross?

These are just some thoughts I wrestled with the other day.  I'm not letting God's love seep into every part of me.  Usually when I see my inadequacies, I think, "Why? Why do I feel this way?", and often what it comes down to is trust.  So...I need to put all my trust in him (which seems easy, but the act of doing so can be so difficult) and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!!

I'm definitely in need of some more quiet moments with God.  Just listening to Him and basking in his goodness.

Any of you feel this way? 

Do any of you need prayer?