2 years

Today, we celebrate 2 years of marriage — 2 years of adventure and life together, and there’s no other place I would rather have been than to be married to my husband.  Sure, I look back and think about what life would have been like the last few years if I hadn’t gotten engaged and married at 21. Who would I be?  What would I be doing? Would I be learning the same things I’ve been learning about Christ?  

All I know and can say is that right now, in this moment, I am in the midst of God’s grace and promises.  Who I am.. is who God has made me to be.  Where I am in life.. is where God has brought us in life.  And I am so privileged to have done it all/wrestle through life with someone whom I respect and love so much.  Can’t imagine it happening any differently! 

We celebrated yesterday since it was labor day and we both had the day off.  We started off our day just by relaxing and enjoying each others’ presence.  We went to Ikea to browse the showroom and dream about what we might like to see in our homes one day.  We enjoyed “supper” (happy hour) together at Jake’s before we walked to Fox Tower for a flick called “Paper Heart” — and what did the movie encapsulate?  Love.  What is Love?

Dominic helps me understand what Love is.  He helps me understand the Gospel better.  He inspires me to love Christ and others more.  He values me not only as his wife and companion, but he values me as a woman, and it brings me such joy to serve and love him.  

We had so much fun spending the entire day together.  Really, at the end of the day that’s what mattered — being together.  

Looking forward to more years of adventure and being in love with you.

spiritual

thought this was pretty interesting… 

[a snippet from rob bell's "everything is spiritual" dvd/talk] 
http://vodpod.com/watch/307795-rob-bell-everything-is-spiritual

abandon

To give up absolutely; to forsake entirely; to renounce utterly; to relinquish all connection with or concern on; to desert, as a person to whom one owes allegiance or fidelity; to quit; to surrender.

learning what it means to live in total abandon to Christ today…
Christine

radical

Bethany Dillon – You Are On Our Side

“The gospel is the dynamic for all heart-change, life-change, and social-change. Change won’t happen through ‘trying harder’ but only through encountering with the radical grace of God.” – Tim Keller

poor in spirit

i am reminded this morning that we cannot stop “preaching” to ourselves brokenness before God.  (something perhaps that the church doesn’t do enough of.)  one of the greatest hindrances i’ve come to find in ‘Kingdom work’ or a walk towards intimacy with Christ is oneself and how we fail to yield to Jesus.

do i not truly believe that God’s grace and His favor upon me is sufficient, and that His power would reign in my weakness?  what does it really mean to be blessed when poor in spirit?

on my morning off, i come before Jesus broken and poor in spirit, in need of Christ to rule in the throne of my heart.  i have tasted the goodness of God today and thus in utter humility i come reminded that this journey of life cannot be run in and of my own strength or power — i have none! 

O God, abide in the throne of my heart

Search the crevices of my innerperson

Take it all and mold me into Yours alone

.. Bring me home.

“God’s desire is to remove all crutches in our lives but Himself.” – Chuck Swindoll

cry

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace.  I am ashamed of my lack of desire.  O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.  Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed.  Begin in mercy  new work of love within me.  Say to my sou, “Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.” Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long…

- A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

still…

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2

Still thankful today, and still rejoicing today….

rose city

Real quick….

The older I’ve gotten, more and more have I been falling in love with Portland.  The fresh, crisp air – the beautiful greenery/scenary almost everywhere you go — the appreciation for the arts — the districts (alphabet, pearl) — the coffee shops — BLAZERS!! — the people….. 

The people.  I walked along Esplanade (East side of Waterfront — see photo) with some of the greatest people I know, and as I stopped to soak all of it in, an abundance of joy & thankfulness filled my heart, and I thought, I love this city — but really it’s the people that I call “family” that makes this city what it is to me today. 

What a wonderful journey it has been — to live, cry, laugh, serve, love, and battle together — and yet, there are still greater things to come! 

On that note, RISE!!!  BLAZERS ARE OFF TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!

BE|LOVED

Lord of my heart…

Take me, break me, clothe me and renew me, that I might live my life worthy of the calling that I have received:

Beloved
Beloved
Beloved!!!

“I am my Beloved’s and He is mine.”

webb’s song

 

In light of not having a piano in our house anymore (long story), I have been resorting to listening to music on my computer a lot more, whereas before I would have spent a good % of my time with music/praise playing on the piano.   I’ve found myself falling in love with “Wedding Dress” by Derek Webb again, reminded of the brokenness of me.. brokenness of the Church.  

I understand that there has been some controversy over this song and its lyrics, although I personally love the pure rawness.  Yeah, the song can be offensive, with lyrics like “I am a whore, I do confess”, but you know what, I appreciate the authenticity  of this song, because I believe it’s a representation of what I, what we, have done and are capable of doing apart from Christ. (I don’t think Derek Webb is calling us whores, but merely painting a picture for us the brokenness of humanity, and Christ’s glorious pursuit of redeeming His Bride.) 

I’m gonna go further and say that the Gospel (though it is the “Good News”) is offensive because it reminds me that I am so broken and in dire need of someone to save.  Enter Jesus.   I’m so jacked up, that God had to send His Son to die for me.   That’s love.

So if you’re hearing this song for the first time, enjoy…. be challenged, and be captivated by your Bridegroom’s undying love for you.