Listen with All Your Heart.

So, today I had the opportunity to go to our local retirement home and "perform" at a birthday party. I sang four hymns: "Amazing Grace", "Victory in Jesus", "It is Well", and "Jesus Paid it All," and had the best time in doing so. I absolutely loved being able to make their day just a little bit brighter. Talking to them or simply smiling their way can make such a difference. And one of the greatest gifts you can give anyone, is taking the time to listen.

I was especially taken with a couple who would be married for 64 years this coming December. At first, I chatted with the husband, and at one point he said to me: "I am so glad to you see you have a heart after God, once you have that you're pretty much set." Then he gave me a smile and a wink. After that, I went down and sat with his wife and we talked for a little while. Eventually her husband came to sit by us, and said he had a little story tell. His wife laughed and said "I have to hear this one every time." He smiled and then asked me playfully, "You've heard about World War II haven't you?" "Yes sir!" I replied. "Well, back then the men who were old enough to serve went off to war, and the women old enough to help went to the factories and bases and such. At that time, they didn't have a bus driver. So, my Junior and Senior year of high school I fulfilled that role." He looked over at his wife and smiled before saying, "She was on my bus route. She was petite, and attractive, a lot like you are." I giggled. "We went together a little while, and then we'd go out with other people, and then we'd get back together. We did that for 4 years, I never really quite caught her, but I guess she liked me enough to marry me." I couldn't stop grinning. After her husband left, I began to ask questions like "How old were you when you got married?" "Twenty-one," she replied. "What year did you marry?" "1950." 

I was just mesmerized, and in awe. More than sixty-three years together, and they were still as in love with each other as ever. She told me it wasn't always sunshine and blue skies, but they had each other and Jesus and that as enough. That's the kind of relationship I'm waiting for.

What an amazing testimony. I can't tell you how much those few hours talking with them totally brightened my day. I can't wait to go back and visit even more. All it took was the willingness to listen. That's all it took, not just to hear what they were saying, but take it to heart. Conversations like that only come every once in awhile, and it's important when the opportunity arises to take hold of it. I'm so blessed to have experienced this today.

Proverbs 2:1-5 says this: "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find knowledge in God." 

We must listen attentively to whoever we may bump into. Whether it be our parents, friends, people we don't talk to, a sweet elderly couple, or most importantly God. In doing this, we will gain knowledge and understanding.

When has been the last time you have not only heard someone talking, but truly listened? Sometimes it's best if we shut our mouths and let others do the talking. We will be amazed on how much we learn from doing that. Not only in our relationship with God, but with the people we encounter in our lives.

Let Us Pray.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for this day, and for precious moments such as these. I was so blessed by their sweet spirits and love for You as well as each other. I pray that I would have that kind of relationship someday, and I pray this not only for myself, but for those reading this right now, if they don't already have it. Help us to not only hear what You say to us, but truly listen wholeheartedly.

In Your Precious Name We Pray,

Amen.

Faith of a Child.

                                               

I have a couple of families I babysit for on a regular basis, and they are so precious to me and such a blessing in my life.  Children have such a innocent perception of life, and they believe in Jesus and love him with no and's, if's, or but's about it. Don't you miss that?

In Mark Chapter 10 verses 13-16, there is a story about how people were bringing their children to Jesus to have him touch them. However, the disciples began to scold them for bringing the children. When Jesus saw this, he was annoyed. He said to them: "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them. For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Jesus loves the little children. He loves them because they are so willing  to believe and hear what he has to say. What makes us grow out of that? Maybe life circumstances or our lives just become "busy." What if we humbled ourselves to the mindset and purity of a child? What if we decided to believe what we cannot see, and listen without questioning what the Lord is telling us? How would our lives change?

Matthew 18:1-4 says: "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name, welcomes me." "

If we do not humble ourselves to that position of vulnerability and willingness that children have, how can we expect to have full faith in Christ? We cannot be in limbo with the Lord. We cannot be caught in the middle of hot and cold Christianity. Revelation 3:15-16 states: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one of the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." We have to be one or the other.

The next time you are around a child. Study them. Observe how they brighten up your day with their giggle, or sweet words. Watch how easily they are willing to love you, and how big their faith is. See how the light of God shines through the sparkle in their eyes and brightness of their smile.

Let Us Pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank for this day, and for the inspiring faith of little children. Help us to be more like that; to be willing to love you and follow you without questioning where you are taking us. Help us to humble ourselves to that position, and see the world through a child's eyes. We get so caught up in the ugliness of the world, that sometimes we forget how truly beautiful it is.

In Your Son's Name We Pray,

Amen.

The Lord is Our Shepherd.

"May God give you a sense of what He is up to in your life. May you see glimpses of the breakthrough that is just up ahead. May you- with all your heart- believe that trusting Him over what your eyes see, is totally and completely worth it. May you shift your weight off of your logical reasonings and onto the weightiness of His powerful promises to you. You have got help and resources that go far beyond anything you could ever need. Smile with joy and walk by faith today. He has got you." 

                                         --Susie Larson

Wow. What a powerful statement. 

It's such a great reminder of how priceless we are in the eyes of God. We are His children and no matter where this crazy life takes us.... "He has got you." I find myself sometimes leaning on my own understanding and knowledge rather than God's all-knowing guidance. Which is so silly because He knows better than I. When we feel as if we're walking blindly through life, and are unsure of where we are to go next.... we must remember that as long as we are walking with God we will end up exactly where we need to be.

Psalm 32:8 says: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." The Lord is our Shepherd. He will lead us and prepare us for the path we are on. He will not let us go unprepared for the things He has created us to do. Ephesians 2:10 states: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." 

Not only will He guide us, but He will protect us as well. As a shepherd protects his flock of sheep, the Lord will protect His people. Psalm 100:3 says: "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."

We are HIS. Nothing can ever change that. No choice, no circumstance. We are God's. However, it is our choice to decide if He is ours. As for me, I am His, and He is mine.

Do you realize how priceless you are? Do you sometimes feel as if you are walking blindly through life and have no idea where to turn next? Let God be your guide. Not only in the big decisions, but in the little ones of day to day life.

Let Us Pray.

Dear God,

Thank you for this day and all you have given us. Thank you for your love and guidance. Thank you for claiming us as your children, and for the reassurance of knowing that no matter what, that will never go away. Help us to follow where you guide us, and trust that you will protect us.

In Your Son's Precious Name,

Amen.

And Time Keeps Tickin'

All we have to decide is what to do, 

with the time we have been given. ~Unknown

Virtually, our lives revolve around time. Time to get up and start a new day, time to go to work, time to play, time to relax, time to spend with God, time to spend with family and friends... you get the point. Our life is full of time, time that we have to spend. We never know when our "time" will end. So, we must treasure every moment.

Speaking of this, no person's life will ever be just rainbows and butterflies. We will have good times and bad times, rough times... times when we feel there isn't enough time, times when we wish time would just stand still. Do you know what the bible says about this?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says this:

 "There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,

    a time to plant and a time to uproot,

     a time to kill and a time to heal,

    a time to tear down and a time to build,

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

    a time to search and a time to give up,

    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

     a time to tear and a time to mend,

    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

     a time to love and a time to hate,

    a time for war and a time for peace."

Needless to say, there is a time and season for every occurrence in our lives. In our lifetime, our hearts will have moments of overwhelming  joy. There will also be days filled with seemingly unbearable sorrow. As Christians, we know that everything happens for a reason. When we lose a loved one or get our heart broken, in that moment the thought of  God saying: "This is all part of my plan. Trust me." may not be the first thing that pops in our mind.  But, we must not let the hard times steal our joy. If our joy is found in the Lord, NO one and NO circumstance can take that away from us.

Ephesians 5:15-16 says: "Be careful; live wisely; and make the most of every single day because you never know which one will be your last."

Are you hurting today? Joyful? Having good times? Or having tough times? Because there is a time for it all, and trust me you are not alone. Be happy when it is time to be happy, cry when it is time to shed tears. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, everything that happens is all apart of His plan.

Let Us Pray.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for this day. Thank you for this life you have given us and the time you have given us within our lives. Help us to use it wisely. Help us to understand that there is indeed a time for everything. When we are joyful, let us praise you, and when are filled with sorrow let us praise you. Because every second, every breath, is a blessing.

In Jesus's Name,

Amen.

Patience is a Virtue.

Patience. The Lord knows I could use some more of that stuff.

Most of the time, I am a pretty patient person. There comes a  time, in certain circumstances in my life, big or small, where my patience is worn thin. Paper thin. So thin, that if one more itty bitty thing were to happen, I might lose it. That is our human nature for you.

Let me ask you this question... does God ever get "fed up" with us? Does He ever lose His temper? Does His patience every wear thin? The answer is no. I mean sure, He gets frustrated with us, but never will He reach the point of giving up on you. I'm beyond thankful God is God and not a 17 year old girl. 

1 Timothy 1:16 says: "Christ has shown mercy on me as a sinner, even the worst of sinners. Jesus has an unlimited  amount of patience for us so that he may be an example for those who believe in him to have eternal life."  God has an UNLIMITED amount of patience for us. As in, there is no end. He will NEVER run out of patience for us. 

In 2 Peter 3:15 it states: "God is patient with us so that we may receive salvation." So, basically, God is patient with us for our own benefit. Think about all the stupid things we do over and over again, directly, or indirectly to God. And He is patient with us because He wants us to be saved. He doesn't want to say: "Whoo, I'm done with you." Philippians 1:6 says to:"Be confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ."

There are TONS of bible reference on patience and being patient. 1 Thessalonians Chapter 

5, Verse 14, says: "Warn those who are lazy, encourage those who are shy, help the weak, and be patient with EVERYONE." That means we are to be patient with people we aren't fond of, our loved ones, our teachers... etc. We are to be patient when patience is the thing we are running out of. 

Lastly, I want to share with you 2nd Peter 3:9. " The Lord is not slow to keep his promises, as people understand slowness, he is patient with you because he wants everyone to have a chance to repent." God works on His time, not our time. He will give us what we need, when we need it, and how we need it. The key point here is, our God is a patient God because He wants everyone to have a chance to get to know Him. If we know Christ as our Lord and Savior, shouldn't we try to do the same? Be patient with everyone so that maybe, just maybe, they would get a glimpse of Jesus. Easier said than done, I know, but give that a little extra  thought.

Struggling with patience today? I know I am. It may be patience with a person or a situation you have constantly prayed about. Continue to ask God for the ability to wait for what is you feel you need or to have patience with this person or group of people.

Let Us Pray.

Father,

Thank you so much for your endless patience. I am sorry that I feel as if I will run out sometimes, help me to not run out so quickly. I pray that you would help us be patient with everyone so that they would see you instead of us. Help us to persevere through life's circumstances and help us to endure the people who are hard to endure. We love you Lord.

In Jesus's Name,

Amen.

(Keep in mind that some of these verses are not word for word. Feel free to look them up and make your own interpretation, so that they may develop a meaning for you as they did for me.)

Run With Endurance.

Whether you are an athlete or not, 

we are all running the ultimate race of life.

I am not particularly fond of running, but I do it to keep in shape. I have also found that I run better if I don't know how far or how long I've been running. For example, running at the track a mile is counted by four laps. By at least the third, I'm ready to be done even thought I have not reached the end. If I'm running on the treadmill and I keep on the display that says how long I've been running, and how far I've ran, I'm ready to quit when it says a mile. However, if I take off that display, and run until I can run no more, when I turn the display back on I am pleasantly surprised to see that I have ran farther than my initial goal. 

Now, I know you are all probably thinking, Sydney, would you get to the point please? I am right there I promise. What if we applied this concept to our lives? "Run until we can run no more." What if did every day things with that same mindset? What if we lived our lives, persevering through every area of until we look at the end of it and realize we went farther than our goal? 

Hebrews 12:1-2 states "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race marked before us. 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 in shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." In other words we must persevere through life and all its trials. We must fix our eyes on Jesus who died for our sins, so that we may run this race with him by our side.

The great thing about this is, Jesus will not leave you. Never once will you ever walk alone. 

We must also remember who we are running this "race" for. One of my favorite verses is Colossians chapter 3, verse 23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as if working for the Lord and not for man." Live your life for Jesus. Work at it with all your being. In the end you will get the greatest reward of all, you will get to walk and talk with Jesus in heaven. 

Let us Pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this day, and for this life you have given us. I pray that you will help us persevere in all that we do, as if we are working for you and not for the world. Help us run with endurance through life even when we are unsure of what our next step should be. Help us to trust in you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

In Jesus's Name,

Amen.

Break Our Hearts for What Breaks Yours

In a world filled with crisis and heartbreaking stories of loved ones lost on a daily basis it is almost impossible to ignore the tragedy. However, sometimes it is almost just as easy to become oblivious to what is going on outside our comfort zone.

The other day I was listening to my Praise and Worship station on Pandora, when the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong United came on. This is such beautiful and powerful song. The bridge says :

 "Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity"

Gosh. Listening to those words, rocked my world. It is not the first time I had heard the song, but maybe it was the first time I really listened. This is a desperate plea for open eyes and an open heart. We are a generation who wants to change the world, but frankly are too lazy. With all our electronic devices and social media accounts, it is so much easier to choose what we want to hear and see. Often times, we choose oblivion. Because we are scared of conviction. We are leery that the still small voice within our hearts, will convict us of something we are not ready to pursue. But why? We are scared of change. We are scared of getting out of our bubble, that we are so comfortable in. Jeremiah 10:23 says: " I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Did you see that? "Our life is not our own." If we have given our lives to Jesus, everything we are, everything we are going to be, is what God wants for our lives. Now, does this mean we should just sit back and relax? No! We still have decisions to make, but God directs our steps.

Look at the verse from the song once more. The depth of those lyrics, are beyond our comprehension. Those are words you can not say half-heartedly. Those words, are a cry from the depths of our souls, and should not be taken lightly. It is a prayer, that strips us of all vanity, it is a prayer of humility. If we truly want God to break our hearts for what breaks his, open our eyes to the things unseen, and show us how to love how He loves us, we must be ready to accept however He chooses to respond to our plea. So I ask you to contemplate those words, take them in, and feel the weight of their meaning.

Romans Chapter 12, verse, 2 calls us to not conform to the world any longer, and to set our minds on higher things than life here on earth could ever offer.

Did this song speak to you the way it has spoken to me? Have you been wrestling with change? Has God been speaking to you, but you're afraid to listen? Don't be afraid. God will never give you more than you can handle. Trust Him. Pray for the desire to love as He first loved us, and for the of opportunity to touch others with that love.

Let us Pray.

Dear Heavenly Father,

The message of this song lays heavy on my heart tonight. With all the chaos that is occurring all around the world, and all those hurting God, and people who are being persecuted in your name, I pray that you would bring comfort to them in the way they need it. With all the innocent who have lost their lives in the past two weeks,  my prayer is that you would comfort their families. I pray that you will truly break our hearts for the things that break yours Lord. I pray that we will no longer choose to ignore the things you have called us to do, but you would give us the courage to pursue them with diligence. Thank you for the freedom of being able to worship you, we are so fortunate.





In Jesus's Name I Pray,

Amen.

Forever Love.

Am I the only one who absolutely loves dwelling on the Lord's unfailing love? I mean, think about it. The God who created the universe, loves me and you more than anything, and longs for a relationship with us as individuals. In case you were curious the last census in 2012 counted that number to be a little over 7 billion. 7 BILLION. But we are not just a number, we are loved. Each and every one of us. God loves us so much in fact, that He sent His son Jesus to save us. "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." Psalm 13:5

Now, I know that some of you have heard this message again and again, but I encourage to really try to read this with an open mind and heart. 

The inspiration for me to start this blog actually came to me while I was traveling on an airplane earlier in the Summer. In the past, I have sent out encouraging messages to people occasionally, and the thought particularly on my mind that day was how tiny we actually are thousands of feet in the air. As the thought progressed, I began to think about how tiny we "should" seem from God's perspective, not only as just human beings, but our thoughts and feelings, and hopes and dreams. (Again, we're talking about our creator here.) But, he does. He cares about us SO immensely. 

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is in Matthew, Chapter 6. Starting in verse 25, Jesus is commanding us not to worry about our lives: what we will eat or drink, what clothes we are going to wear. He questions us about how tiny these things are in conjunction with one another. Isn't our life more important than food? Isn't our body more important than the outfit we plan to wear tomorrow? In verse 27 it states: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" God cares about the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea, but most of all He cares about you and me. ( haha; I'm a poet wouldn't you know it!) 

Are you beginning to see that we are not insignificant? Or are you still unsure about how much the Lord desperately loves you? 1 John 4:9-12 says, "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." In verse 19 it simply reads: "We love because He first loved us." The reason we love others, the logic behind feelings and emotions and the desire to be wanted and appreciated, is because Christ LOVED US FIRST. It is because of His unfailing love. Experience His love, bask in His grace and mercy. He is standing with arms open wide. In Romans, Chapter 8, verses 31-39, the Bible says nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

I could go on and on about this. God's love for us is beyond comprehension. It is something we are unable to fathom. Do you believe God loves you this much? Are there things you have done, or are doing that make you feel unworthy of such a love? Well I have amazing news my friend, such a thing does not exist nor will it ever. No matter how many times you disappoint God, he will NEVER stop loving you. In Psalm 136 alone, "His love endures forever." is written 26 times, forever seems endless... but on the other hand, isn't that is the point?

Let us Pray.

Dear Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your unfailing love that knows no end. Help us to understand, that your love never fails, even when people and relationships in our lives do. Help us to realize how significant we are in your eyes, in a world that is constantly reminding us how of insignificant we are. Thank you for never giving up on us, and your for promise for forever love.

In Jesus's Name we pray,

Amen.

Take time to listen to these songs that portray God's forever love so brilliantly.

Where You Are....Is Where You Are Meant to Be.

This Summer I have had the most amazing opportunities. I've made so many great friends, and memories, that I indeed, will never forget. However, lately I've been missing them tremendously. I have struggled with constantly wishing I was with them, instead of at home. Saying this sounds horrible, but in all honesty, I really and truly felt this way.

A few nights ago, a scripture I had read a while back kept poking at my brain, I couldn't quite remember all of it, but what I could remember said this: "Don't ever be wishing you were somewhere else..." So, I typed in those words to the google search engine on my phone and immediately got a result. The passage was from 1 Corinthians 7:17 (The Message): "And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there....."  Wow. I was speechless and on the verge of tears. Isn't it amazing how God speaks to our hearts. Straight to our hearts. My heart. I read those words over and over... "live and obey and love and believe right there..." In my moment of pity for myself, I realized I must do exactly that. I have to be content in my circumstances, and most thankful for the things I've been able to experience. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Therefore, no matter if you are exactly where you wanna be, or so far away it breaks your heart, be thankful. GROW, where you are planted. This is God's will for us, he knows what is best. "For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) 

Everything is going to be okay. As many times as you've heard that, and however cliche you think it may be, it is absolutely true. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don't lean on only the things you understand, acknowledge God for all he's done and He will guide you down the correct path (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

What are you struggling with today? Do you wish you were somewhere else? With someone else?

Maybe you don't know what direction you should be headed, or what your next step should be. Seek God, and He will show you the way. Maybe not right away, but when the time is right.

My Prayer for You as well as Myself:

     Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all you have given us. Thank you for speaking to our hearts in the way that only you can. God, I pray that you would help us to be content where we are in our lives. No matter where that may be. Help us seek you, and your word, for comfort and understanding, when life is hard to understand. Thank you Lord, for having our lives already planned out, so that we may have hope for the future, and give us the courage to follow those plans. 

    In Your Son's precious name we pray,  

 Amen.

I hope this has blessed you as much as it has blessed me. I would love to hear your responses. Feel free to comment. I would also love to pray for you all in any way I can. Have the most blessed day.

Your Sister in Christ,

Sydney