Pictures Describe Me

I found this on a friend's blog and thot it would be fun to do. :)

Here’s how it works:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into mosaic maker. Choose 3 columns with 4 rows.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your favorite animal.

my answers: 1. andrea 2. italian food 3. homeschooled 4. red 5. heath ledger 6. juice 7. europe 8. chocolate 9. wife/mother 10. family 11. sophisticated 12. dog

"The trial that you are facing today is not too big for God to handle. As a matter of fact, being the loving parent that He is, He may be rescuing you from certain death. Believe Him … Trust Him … Love Him despite your circumstances. Someday you will look back on this time and see His hand was there all along." - Luann Prater

This quote especially spoke to me today. We often look only at our struggles and forget about God. We think our struggles are too big to conquer on our own...and they are. But God will make us MORE the conquerors, if we trust in Him. So often I look at what I THINK I can do and don't believe what God SAYS He will do. Oh for Grace to trust Him more!

River God

Rolling River God
Little Stones are smooth
Only once the water passes through
So I am a stone
rough and grainy still
Trying to reconcile this river's chill

CHORUS:
But when I close my eyes
and feel you rushing by
I know that time brings change
and change takes time
And when the sunset comes
my prayer would be just this one
that you might pick me up
and notice that I am
just a little smoother in your hand

Sometimes raging wild
sometimes swollen high
never have I known this river dry
The deepest part of you
is where I want to stay
and feel the sharpest edges wash away

River God - Nichole Nordeman

Every trial that we go thru washes some of our sharp edges away. Often it takes a long time for change to be seen, but never doubt that change is happening. Look at the big picture and realize that we only become smooth when the river passes thru. It is God who is using all that happens in our lives to smooth us and make us who He wants us to be. God is always looking out for good. He will never fail.

Deserts

You are the One; there's no one else
Who lifts me up
And gives me water from the well
But there's a hole
That seems to drain it all away
And once again I'm left in fear and doubt
When all my strength is crying out

So here I am again
Willing to be opened up and broken like a flower in the rain
Tell me what have I to do
To die and then be raised
To reach beyond the pain
Like a flower in the rain

The evil wind, it blows a storm
To rock my world
Just when I think I'm safe and warm
I'm led astray far too easily
It's always hard for me to say I'm wrong
Until I know I can't go on

Lord, You have searched me
And know when I sleep and when I rise
You're familiar with all my ways
Even the darkness will shine
Like the day
When you look into my heart
Flower in the Rain - Jaci Velasquez


So, I'm up later than I usually am. For some reason I can't sleep. I've been thinking about wildernesses and deserts that God leads us thru. I've discovered He takes us thru for different purposes, two of which are: He wants to bring us to a place we could never have gotten to on our own, and He wants to teach us things about ourself and Himself we could never have learned apart from going thru the desert. When we are in the middle of desert, very rarely can we see what the purpose is. It is only after we have reached the other side that we discover what God wanted to show us about Himself. God never wastes a desert experience. Our job is to learn what He wants to teach us.

Turn your eyes

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His Glory and Grace. - Helen Lemmel

This is by far my favorite chorus. Ever since I was about 8 years old I have loved it. 
And everytime I sing it at church or any other place I get a warm feeling and it makes 
me happy.  

Fear

Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!" Matthew 14:28-33

Overcoming fear is like walking a tightrope or walking on water. If Jesus asks you to face a fear He is going to be there for you...He will be in front of you asking you to focus on Him and to not look down. Looking down and thinking about what we are doing instead of who Jesus is and what HE is doing only causes problems.

Jesus called Peter out of the boat while the wind was blowing hard and the waves were rocking the boat. And yet when Peter and Jesus got into the boat everything became calm. Jesus often calls us to face our fears when things seem the hardest, but He always will lead us to a place of peace. And He does it in a way that He gets the greatest amount of glory.

Is it time for you to get out of the boat? :)

Future Grace

"It is enough to know that I will receive grace. I will know the presence of the Spirit and I will die, or be rescued, in a way that pleases the Lord." - Ed Welch, Running Scared

One of the most transformational quotes of all time to my life. :) May I always live this way.