Yes Jesus loves me

The Lord recently blessed me with an 'aha' moment. A moment that brought me to tears as I reflected on my recent journey and the steadfast love of the Lord.

With the simple yet profound lyrics of "yes Jesus loves me, how wonderful, yes Jesus loves me" pounding through the chapel, I lost my breath a little. It was as though I time-traveled back a year ago... to a time of struggle, doubt, darkness, and pain... when the only things I knew to tell myself were those exact lyrics to that song. All I could do was cling to those words. Over and over again in my head, "yes Jesus loves me" hoping and praying that if I sang it enough I would find it true and believe it.

And because of the Lord's grace, that is what happened.

I stood there with those same lyrics pouring out of my soul but it was coming from a different place this time. I knew with every ounce of who I am that they ARE true. YES Jesus loves me. There is nothing more beautiful, freeing, and undeserved as the truth of those words.

That was the moment it all came full circle. Flashes of the past year flooded through my mind and I saw it. I saw the Lord's faithfulness, grace, and LOVE. All over every moment, every struggle, and every victory. It was Him... because he loves me. He was there leading me to this place of complete and utter dependence on him. This place of JOY, FREEDOM, and LIFE.

and its all true. and its all real. its almost too much to take in.

I will sing those words forever.

Praise the Lord!

Here is the song: You Bled  by: Rend Collective Experiment

How boundless is your love!

Stir up one another

Hebrews 10:22-25

"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith... Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

When we draw near to God with a heart of faith, he cleanses us.

When we hold fast to him who is our hope, he is faithful.

And then we are able to stir up one another to love and good works; encourage each other.

This is how it is intended to work.

And this is why the body of Christ can be such a powerful thing!

As the Lord fills each of us with righteousness and hope, we stir others up to love and good works. The love and the good works are outpourings of the faith that is inside.

What a beautiful thing :)

RVR staff took a trip to NYC!

He gives strength to the weary

God has shown me his great mercy and grace filled compassion.
His love and understanding is written all over scripture... and how sweet it is!

Isaiah 40:28-31 says,
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

This life is often a struggle. We battle ourselves, our sin, and the world and it is indeed tiring. When we take it upon ourselves to grow and to change, we stumble. But it is those who hope in the Lord (who never grows weary) that will be strengthened. What an exercise in surrender, but what an awesome God to hope in!
In Hebrew, that word "hope" means to bind together. So not only are we to place our hope in God, but we are to be bound to him. Wrap up everything we are in him. Be joined with his every move and every desire. THAT is to hope in God. To trust him. That is where true strength lies.

Thank God for his loving kindness, compassion, understanding, and grace.

By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.

Proverbs 3:19-20

Shining ever brighter

Humility has been teaching me so many things. It is changing me daily.

Deep down in my soul there has been an awakening. The walls that were separating me from true freedom and life in Christ are crumbling... and it is too good to put into words.

Don't get me wrong, this process has not been easy and is far from over, but it is worth celebrating here and now! O my soul, Praise the Lord.

After a season of struggle, hopelessness, doubt, selfishness and many other things... my faith, trust, and love is growing. My joy is real. My love is genuine... my spirit is alive!

Proverbs 4:18 says, "The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,  shining ever brighter till the full light of day." This is something to hope in! The Lord is faithful to his children. The ONLY way from here is further and further into the light of righteousness if we let him take us there. Man, I'm excited to continue on that path and reach my full life with Him one day, but until then...

It is so good to see the sun again :)

Come on my soul

let down the walls

sing my soul

Be of good faith

Be of Good Faith by: Sisterbrother

Be of good faith, all you children

For we go from strength to strength

For we go from glory to glory

Don't be afraid for he will light

For He will light the path up ahead

For He will guide you

Don't be afraid

He will guide all who believe,

Comfort those who weep

In Him is redemption

He will restore your soul

He will heal your broken wings

He will restore your soul

Be of good faith, all you children

For we go from strength to strength

For we go from glory to glory

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong,firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10)

Humility is...

At the Ranch, we are encouraged to choose a word for the year. A word to focus on, something to grow in. Something the Lord has brought us to.

My word is humility.

Here is Christ's example of humility. Mark 10:45 "For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give up his life as a ransom for many"

And this is what we are told to do. Philippians 2:3-8 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

This is a pretty big deal.

This is what it has looked like in my life already.

Humility is...

asking for help.

being honest.

being patient.

giving God all the glory.

giving up control.

waiting on the Lord.

crying at work.

crying out to the Lord.

recognizing my life isn't about me.

neither is my work.

neither are my relationships.

neither are my hopes and dreams.

admitting faults.

asking forgiveness.

working hard no matter who sees.

learning.

trust.

beautiful.

No time wasted when it comes to our God shaping hearts. Ask him and he will change you.

Ephesians 4:2 "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."