I love the fall. And I mean I love everything about it. I must admit ,however, that every year when this deluxe season rolls around I get lil' pensive. It's the darn trees. I can't help but be reminded that dying can be a beautiful thing. The trees are dying, shedding off what they have had for so long, and yet the whole process is beautiful with the promise of new growth in the spring after a cold season of nakedness. Maybe one of the reasons I enjoy this season so much is because this is what happens in me. My vanity, my love of self, my lack of trust in God's timing and faithfulness, my pride, my lust, my fear of man, my gossip, my laziness; these things are a reality in my heart. They do not define me, but they wage war with my spirit daily. I hate these things, and I must die to them. Romans 7 says "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." The old Danielle is dead, yet I still choose to live according to her at times. And there you have sanctification. In my heart I see my wretchedness, yet I am learning to praise God for the gracious ways He reveals to me that HE IS BETTER and HE IS WORKING. I am fully equipped by His Spirit to live a life of freedom, abundance, and beauty. But I must die...daily. And it's a beautiful thing, because with this moment by moment choosing to cling to the Gospel and die to self comes new growth and beauty.
Teach me how to die, Lord. "Show Me" Audrey Assad
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
More than food
(This post is a wee bit long, forgive me.)
Fasting.
I'm not gonna' lie, out of all the spiritual disciplines, this is one that I have had a hard time grasping. My southern baptist background, coupled with the seemingly lack of "popularity" for this discipline, perhaps explains why I am just now discovering the beauty, importance, and depth of this biblical practice. I've always believed fasting to be biblical, I just believed it to be a biblical practice that didn't really apply to me. It's for the "intense" Christians.
There has always been this underlying belief that I don't need to fast. Why fast when I can eat my big mac and pray at the same time? (Funny, but true!) To state it plainly, I had never fasted until now because I never understood how to fast in a God-honoring way. "If I am going to fast," I told myself, "I'm going to do it with biblical understanding and pure motives, not just for the sake of doing it." Well friends, by God's grace I now understand (at least I think I do) why it's important and biblical to fast. This summer we had a speaker who came and spoke on various passages in the Gospel that talk about Jesus going off by Himself to pray...God in flesh, the One who knew the very heart of His Father, went off for extended periods of time to pray and be with the Father. It sounds simple, but if Jesus chose to do it, should we not also? Am I taking time to be with my Father? To enjoy Him, to talk to Him? David Platt, our speaker, also spoke on the passage about Jesus fasting for 40 days. Platt said that fasting is a confession that chooses to believe and humbly declare to God, "I need YOU more than I need food."
Holy cow.
This rocked my world. I fasted for 24 hours for the first time in my life yesterday, and I can honestly say it was one of the sweetest times I've had in my walk with the Lord. It is a discipline that I pray becomes a regular part of my spiritual walk. I NEED Jesus more than I need food, or anything else for that matter, and fasting is a choice that expresses that truth. When I'm hungry, I pray...trusting and believing that God is faithful to answer prayer, faithful to sustain me, and faithful to satisfy me.
"But the worst of all is that we have adopted and practiced fasting as a good work: not to bring our flesh into subjection; but, as a meritorious work before God, to atone for our sins and obtain grace. And it is this that has made our fasting a stench and so blasphemous and shameful, so that no drinking and eating, no gluttony and drunkenness, could have been as bad and foul. It would have been better had people been drunk day and night than to fast thus. Moreover, even if all had gone well and right, so that their fasting had been applied to the mortification of the flesh; but since it was not voluntary it was not left to each to do according to their own free will, but was compulsory by virtue of human commandment, and they did it unwillingly, it was all lost and to no purpose. I will not mention the many other evils as the consequences, as that pregnant mothers and their offspring, the sick and the weak, were thereby ruined, so that it might be called a fasting of Satan instead of a fasting unto holiness. Therefore we will carefully consider how this Gospel teaches us by the example of Christ what true fasting is.
The Scriptures present to us two kinds of true fasting: one, by which we try to bring the flesh into subjection to the spirit, of which St. Paul speaks in 2 Cor 6,5: “In labors, in watchings, in fastings.” The other is that which we must bear patiently, and yet receive willingly because of our need and poverty, of which St. Paul speaks in 1 Cor 4, 11: “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst,” and Christ in Mt 9,15: “When the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast.” This kind of fasting Christ teaches us here while in the wilderness alone without anything to eat, and while he suffers his penury without murmuring. The first kind of fasting, one can end whenever he wills, and can satisfy it by food; but the other kind we must observe and bear until God himself changes it and satisfies us. Hence it is much more precious than the first, because it moves in greater faith." -MARTIN LUTHER
Fasting.
I'm not gonna' lie, out of all the spiritual disciplines, this is one that I have had a hard time grasping. My southern baptist background, coupled with the seemingly lack of "popularity" for this discipline, perhaps explains why I am just now discovering the beauty, importance, and depth of this biblical practice. I've always believed fasting to be biblical, I just believed it to be a biblical practice that didn't really apply to me. It's for the "intense" Christians.
There has always been this underlying belief that I don't need to fast. Why fast when I can eat my big mac and pray at the same time? (Funny, but true!) To state it plainly, I had never fasted until now because I never understood how to fast in a God-honoring way. "If I am going to fast," I told myself, "I'm going to do it with biblical understanding and pure motives, not just for the sake of doing it." Well friends, by God's grace I now understand (at least I think I do) why it's important and biblical to fast. This summer we had a speaker who came and spoke on various passages in the Gospel that talk about Jesus going off by Himself to pray...God in flesh, the One who knew the very heart of His Father, went off for extended periods of time to pray and be with the Father. It sounds simple, but if Jesus chose to do it, should we not also? Am I taking time to be with my Father? To enjoy Him, to talk to Him? David Platt, our speaker, also spoke on the passage about Jesus fasting for 40 days. Platt said that fasting is a confession that chooses to believe and humbly declare to God, "I need YOU more than I need food."
Holy cow.
This rocked my world. I fasted for 24 hours for the first time in my life yesterday, and I can honestly say it was one of the sweetest times I've had in my walk with the Lord. It is a discipline that I pray becomes a regular part of my spiritual walk. I NEED Jesus more than I need food, or anything else for that matter, and fasting is a choice that expresses that truth. When I'm hungry, I pray...trusting and believing that God is faithful to answer prayer, faithful to sustain me, and faithful to satisfy me.
"But the worst of all is that we have adopted and practiced fasting as a good work: not to bring our flesh into subjection; but, as a meritorious work before God, to atone for our sins and obtain grace. And it is this that has made our fasting a stench and so blasphemous and shameful, so that no drinking and eating, no gluttony and drunkenness, could have been as bad and foul. It would have been better had people been drunk day and night than to fast thus. Moreover, even if all had gone well and right, so that their fasting had been applied to the mortification of the flesh; but since it was not voluntary it was not left to each to do according to their own free will, but was compulsory by virtue of human commandment, and they did it unwillingly, it was all lost and to no purpose. I will not mention the many other evils as the consequences, as that pregnant mothers and their offspring, the sick and the weak, were thereby ruined, so that it might be called a fasting of Satan instead of a fasting unto holiness. Therefore we will carefully consider how this Gospel teaches us by the example of Christ what true fasting is.
The Scriptures present to us two kinds of true fasting: one, by which we try to bring the flesh into subjection to the spirit, of which St. Paul speaks in 2 Cor 6,5: “In labors, in watchings, in fastings.” The other is that which we must bear patiently, and yet receive willingly because of our need and poverty, of which St. Paul speaks in 1 Cor 4, 11: “Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst,” and Christ in Mt 9,15: “When the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast.” This kind of fasting Christ teaches us here while in the wilderness alone without anything to eat, and while he suffers his penury without murmuring. The first kind of fasting, one can end whenever he wills, and can satisfy it by food; but the other kind we must observe and bear until God himself changes it and satisfies us. Hence it is much more precious than the first, because it moves in greater faith." -MARTIN LUTHER
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Anticipation
Although I have thoroughly enjoyed this summer, there are thoughts of fall that make me wish it would come soon. Corn mazes, hay rides, rich colors, warm house decorations, sweaters, apple cider, the anticipation/preparation of Thanksgiving and Christmas, crisp hikes...all of these things I look forward to, yet there is one thing that has stood out and has been on my mind all day...the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. I can't wait, folks.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
I am blessed.
This summer:
Words cannot describe how incredible this summer has been. God has been blowing my mind! It has been an exhausting summer, but I have grown more than I ever thought I would. I have been incredibly humbled to see kids, and adults, come to know Christ. To see people who were lost, without hope, and dead in their sins, be brought to life is AMAZING. God's faithfulness to redeem and heal the brokenness in the hearts of these students, as well as my own heart, has blessed me so much! I've also been encouraged and challenged in my prayer life. One night during the service I was sitting in the balcony. There was a student staffer sitting in front of me and my heart became so heavy for him...so I prayed for him. I prayed that the Lord would soften his heart and reveal Himself to him. I found out after the service that he came to receive Christ that night. There is power in prayer, dear friends. There are countless stories I could tell about the Lord's faithfulness in answering prayer.
And holy cow, the team I am working with this summer is incredible! I am SO thankful to be serving with people who LOVE Christ. It has been an encouragement to be surrounded by people who desire to see the Gospel proclaimed and the name of Christ exalted first and foremost. I'm just eatin' it up. With only 4 camp weeks left, I pray that we would continue to press into the heart of Christ and strive to love one another well.
Plans for the fall:
I could go on and on about the tears, frustrations, prayers, and conversations that were a part of my decision as to what I plan on doing in the fall, but I will refrain. After a lot of prayer and counsel, I made the decision to attend Tennessee School of Beauty in the fall. I start classes in September and I am so excited! This was an extremely difficult decision for me. My heart's desire is to do full-time ministry, but I am at a place in life where I have student loans (thank you Bryan College!) that need to be paid off. The Lord is so gracious and has been affirming me over the past couple of years with the truth that there is purpose to even the most mundane, or seemingly mundane tasks, such as cutting hair. I have been encouraged to know that this gift can be used in mighty ways to bless people and minister to them...so here goes! I don't plan on working in a salon for the rest of my life, but I do look forward to continuing to use this gift to proclaim the hope of the gospel and to love on people. And hey, making people look good never hurt either :)
I am also planning on becoming involved with my church's youth group. I will be a small group leader for high school girls and I will also be heavily involved with leading worship for the youth. Guys, I am SO excited about this! I am so excited to see how God is going to grow me, as well as use me to love on high school girls. Praying that He does mighty thing in my heart as well as the hearts of the highschoolers I will be serving.
At the age of 23, my life looks NOTHING like what I thought it would like...and I'm thankful for that. How freaking awesome is it that we can trust and rest in the character of God? He does not withhold His best from us. Life may not look like what I thought it would look like, but I AM blessed.
Words cannot describe how incredible this summer has been. God has been blowing my mind! It has been an exhausting summer, but I have grown more than I ever thought I would. I have been incredibly humbled to see kids, and adults, come to know Christ. To see people who were lost, without hope, and dead in their sins, be brought to life is AMAZING. God's faithfulness to redeem and heal the brokenness in the hearts of these students, as well as my own heart, has blessed me so much! I've also been encouraged and challenged in my prayer life. One night during the service I was sitting in the balcony. There was a student staffer sitting in front of me and my heart became so heavy for him...so I prayed for him. I prayed that the Lord would soften his heart and reveal Himself to him. I found out after the service that he came to receive Christ that night. There is power in prayer, dear friends. There are countless stories I could tell about the Lord's faithfulness in answering prayer.
And holy cow, the team I am working with this summer is incredible! I am SO thankful to be serving with people who LOVE Christ. It has been an encouragement to be surrounded by people who desire to see the Gospel proclaimed and the name of Christ exalted first and foremost. I'm just eatin' it up. With only 4 camp weeks left, I pray that we would continue to press into the heart of Christ and strive to love one another well.
Plans for the fall:
I could go on and on about the tears, frustrations, prayers, and conversations that were a part of my decision as to what I plan on doing in the fall, but I will refrain. After a lot of prayer and counsel, I made the decision to attend Tennessee School of Beauty in the fall. I start classes in September and I am so excited! This was an extremely difficult decision for me. My heart's desire is to do full-time ministry, but I am at a place in life where I have student loans (thank you Bryan College!) that need to be paid off. The Lord is so gracious and has been affirming me over the past couple of years with the truth that there is purpose to even the most mundane, or seemingly mundane tasks, such as cutting hair. I have been encouraged to know that this gift can be used in mighty ways to bless people and minister to them...so here goes! I don't plan on working in a salon for the rest of my life, but I do look forward to continuing to use this gift to proclaim the hope of the gospel and to love on people. And hey, making people look good never hurt either :)
I am also planning on becoming involved with my church's youth group. I will be a small group leader for high school girls and I will also be heavily involved with leading worship for the youth. Guys, I am SO excited about this! I am so excited to see how God is going to grow me, as well as use me to love on high school girls. Praying that He does mighty thing in my heart as well as the hearts of the highschoolers I will be serving.
At the age of 23, my life looks NOTHING like what I thought it would like...and I'm thankful for that. How freaking awesome is it that we can trust and rest in the character of God? He does not withhold His best from us. Life may not look like what I thought it would look like, but I AM blessed.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I'm goin' back someday...
This is Prisca, my compassion child! She lives in Tanzania and I am SO blessed to have the opportunity to support her. Praying for her salvation and I plan on visiting her in the next few years. If you don't know much about Compassion International, go check em' out at www.compassion.com. Kids in poverty are coming to know Christ through this ministry, and you have a chance to join.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
My new love: Pazooki
Life...I lurv' it.
If you're expecting an interesting blog, I'm probably going to let you down. I'm going to do my best, however, to share bits and pieces of my life in hopes that you will somehow be encouraged, challenged, or at least be a wee bit entertained by it. Here goes.
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