I love driving... for many reasons but one of them is because its where I spend most time listening to music. At the start of this week I choose an album that I hadn't listened to in a while and I knew would do my soul good.

It is 'Jesus and Justice' by Brian Houston. It is a wonderful collection of old hymns and beautiful written lyrics by Houston himself. I love Brian's sound and his talent in breathing musical creativity into timeless words.

The theme of the next 10 days for me is worry, stress and fear as exams draw ever closer. But throughout the past few days I have heard God whisper, come to Me...tell Me about your struggles...because I care for you! (1 Peter 5:7)

One song in particular reminded me of God's constant care and desire to lift our burdens from us and give us peace. It also reminded me of the times I needlessly forfeit peace from God because I don't share my heart and worries with Him. So today I have carried everything to Him in prayer knowing that He is big enough, strong enough and willing to carry my burdens with me.

What A Friend We have in Jesus:

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer:
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus Knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge;
Take it to the Lord in prayer:
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.




**********************************

One more thing, I had a wonderful day today....mostly because of photos. First of all Corey and I had a Photo Booth session, it was so adorable....Corey would wait for the 3...2...1....countdown and would make several poses. He is just so amazing. Then at dship we celebrated Petra's time with us this year by taking photos together around Saintfield. It was so much fun! I love you girls!







I hope you're all doing well and those of you who are doing exams are surviving! My sympathy and support are with each one of you :)

He is a mighty savior.


He will take delight in you with gladness.


With his love, he will calm all your fears.


He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."
 
~Zephaniah 3:17
 
This is one of my favourite verses. I adore singing so I think thats one reason why this verse means so much to me. Tonight I haven't been able to get this verse or the image of God singing over me out of my head.
 
It is incredibly encouraging as I have been sitting at my computer screen longing to run away from the mind melting essay that is before me.
 
As I paused for a moment to think about this bible verse the song 'Just The Way You Are' started playing...I listened closely to the lyrics and it truly hit me...
 
This is what God thinks of me...
 
"When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change
  Because you're amazing
  Just the way you are
  And when you smile
  The whole world stops and stares for a while
  Because girl you're amazing
  Just the way you are"
 
So in that moment as I soaked in the lyrics I imagined God singing these words over me.
It made me smile.
So I thought I would share that with you :) because He thinks the same about you too.
 

 
This is the best version of the song.
 
March has been ridiculously busy, I'm turning 21 next week so I'm sure I will blog all about the celebrations next week :)

Today on this day set aside to celebrate love I am reminded that I am Loved, even when I'm not.

I am Loved, not because of who I am or what I've done, not based on my ability to love or do something great... but simply I am Loved.

Unconditionally Loved.

I still can't quite grasp or fathom the enormity of that Love.

It is Love that is self-less, patient, giving, eternal, everlasting, unending, unchanging, unfailing...

This Love has won my heart over and over again. I am deeply thankful for the sacrifice that God made for me in sending His Son to lay down His life for me so that I could know True Love.

He choose to send Jesus so that He could lavish His Love upon us.

To me that is worth way more than receiving a Valentine's card, chocolate or flowers.

God gave the greatest gift....unconditional, sacrifical Love.

I hope today you will celebrate this Love.

Happy Love Day!

The past week has been incredibly difficult for me, for various reasons which I won't go into right now. I know that this year will be tough and that really does terrify me. Thoughts of not being good enough taunt me and often leave me frozen from being able to get studying done.

I have a lot to think about over the next couple of weeks and some decisions to make that I don't want to make. But I will trust that God is leading and knows what is best for me.

Over the past week the best way to describe how I have felt would be to imagine being in a deep dark pit. Constantly looking up for inspiration, encouragement and the hope that there would be an end to the stress one day. (Throughout this week I have definitely recieved encouragement but I will write more about that later. ) The thing is I feel like this is what it will be like until I graduate next June, and maybe it will be but I would like to find another way to cope. Suggestions are more than welcome :-)

But in the midst of the stress I have been truly blessed. I have had several texts, facebook comments, skype chats and calls that have kept me going. As well as this some of the dearest people in my life have blessed me with little gifts of encouragement.

My older brother has been staying here with my nephew since Sunday night (my sister in law is away on a girls trip) and he drove me to Starbucks, let me sit in the car with Corey and brought me out my very first Eggnog latte of the season as well as buying me a bag of the Christmas blend. Beautiful.

Then on Monday morning I got to look after Corey, we met my mum for lunch in Saintfield and took him to Rowallane to play in the leaves. If you haven't already you need to watch this:


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.


so cute!

Last night I reached the end of myself and couldn't bare the stress anymore which resulted in a beautiful conversation with my mum which I am so thankful for and made it worth the tears. About an hour later my hot friend arrived round with a studying pick me up package! I am so blessed beyond my worth.

Easter is a time that brings chocolate Easter eggs, pretty spring things and chicks&bunnies... and often the Cross is thrown in for good measure, just to make sure the religious bit is added in. The Cross is the central symbol of Easter and I believe that that’s how it should be. But what frustrates me (and I’ve chatted to a couple of people about this) is the fact that we try to make the Cross look pretty. There are hundreds of different designs, sizes, colours etc that you can wear round your neck or hang up on your walls (one illustration is pictured above).


But the Cross was not cute.

The Cross was gruesome.

The Cross was heartache.

But the Cross was definitely not cute.

Once again as I look to the Cross I find myself completely humbled. I am humbled by this love story sent down in the form of Jesus from God.

It was a bloody sacrifice.

The truth that has pulled at my heart this Easter is the fact that even if I was the only person Jesus had to die for, God would have still let it happen.

He would have hung there taking in His last excruciating breath so that He could have a relationship with me. So that the barrier of sin would be broken down and I could receive His love and be forgiven.

I find that truth so hard to believe because I am so so unworthy of this sacrifice and the cost that God had to pay.

I don’t deserve grace.

I don’t deserve forgiveness.

I don’t deserve love.

But Jesus went through the trauma of the Cross even though I/we don’t deserve it.

Over this weekend I have been blessed by solid and encouraging teaching by Paul B on the Easter Story. I attended a Good Friday service that Paul was speaking at and God moved in my heart that night. (Hence the awesome title of this post from Paul’s sermon title). It is only now that I can begin to reflect and figure out what happened. A theme that seems to be running throughout my life at the moment is honesty. I need to be more honest about my relationship with God, in my relationship with God, with my feelings and in my relationships with people. And there on Friday night God reminded me to be real about the condition of my heart with Him and to stop hiding. Sometimes hiding can be the easy option because that way I don’t have to deal with myself, or what God is doing in my life. It’s very easy to get caught up in the doing and not the being. And even when I’m trying to just be with Jesus...I’m still doing something, like journaling, reading, praying (all of which are great) but I think I need to be more silent with God. I need to soak up His presence, power and love.

The amazingly incredible thing is, is that despite all my trying... all God wants is me.

That is scary but also liberating.

I can’t even begin to put into words how thankful I am that Christ did die to set me free and to give me not just everlasting life but a relationship with Him here and now.

But the act of the Cross did not end with Christ’s final breath as darkness covered the earth.

But it was 3 days later...

“The stone it has been moved, the grave is now a groove, all debts are removed” Bono

Jesus conquered the grave, He arose from the cling of death.

Why is this so important?

Well if Jesus hadn’t risen then He wouldn’t be Jesus.

He would just be some wise guy who talked the talked but didn’t walk the walk.

He is our Saviour and He is mighty to save.

“Jesus’ tomb was empty, so our lives could be full” Paul B

It is necessary to reflect and be humbled by the Cross but there comes a time when I have to move out of grieving for the Cross and into the celebration of the resurrection. (Please don't misunderstand me I'm not belitting the cross here in anyway!) There comes a time when I have to accept God’s forgiveness and total unconditional love and acceptance for me.

That time is now.

I will leave you with my favourite ‘Cross’ song, listen here and also this one here...

When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.


Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.