Brokenness.

   How is it already the end of January?! My apologies for not posting in the last few weeks: work is beginning to get busy thanks to the upcoming tax season, I had very little break during the holidays from my four classes so I was catching up with them, plus I had midterms for a few of the classes last week, my mom had minor surgery on her hand, etc., etc., etc.. You all know how crazy life can get just when you think it can't get any busier. Anyway... 

   I wanted to share a thought that I had a few weeks ago. Scars are not pretty, but scars are a part of your story. Physical or emotional, visible or hidden, they are there. We all have them, but what we choose to do with them is up to us. They can remind us of how terrible things were and how broken we felt, but they can also show God's incredible love, mercy, and grace for bringing you through.

   Mandisa is one of my favorite Christian artists, and her album 'Overcomer' has become a huge blessing recently as I have been listening to it again. Her song "What Scars Are For" actually triggered the above thought in my head. Hearing the song and actually paying attention to the words are two different things and I actually listened to the words recently... Whoa. The chorus is below.

"They remind me of Your faithfulness

And all You brought me through.

They teach me that my brokenness

Is something You can use.

They show me where I’ve been and

That I’m not there any more,

That’s what scars, that’s what scars are for."

   That chorus hit me like a train at full speed: being so broken that there is no where else to run to, no one else to turn to but God. Wow. Psalm 51:14-17 says this:

"Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,

The God of my salvation,

And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips,

And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;

You do not delight in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart—

These, O God, You will not despise."

   Not only do we feel broken, but we feel guilty and empty. What can I offer God when I have nothing in me? There is nothing left for my family, my friends, myself, so what could I possibly give to Him? Here's the thing. He wants your brokenness. He wants the emptiness of your soul. He wants you when you have nothing left to give. We question why anyone would want us when we are like that but it's what God does. He takes those shattered pieces of our lives and begins to mold them into something that He can use to show His faithfulness and grace. 

   Hopefully, my point was made, but if not, here it is in a nutshell: God wants the broken bits of you to bring glory to His name. Remember that when you have nothing, He is everything. 

~ Abby

"There’s so much of the story that’s still yet to unfold..."

Two posts in two days?! Wow. So far, so good! :)

     Steven Curtis Chapman has written some wonderful songs in the last several years that have been an incredible blessing in my life. This one,  "The Glorious Unfolding", is no different. I remember hearing it when It was firs released and I thought it was nice, but nothing else. When I heard the song yesterday, I really listened to the words and wow.

Here is the first verse:
   "Lay your head down tonight
   Take a rest from the fight
   Don’t try to figure it out
   Just listen to what I’m whispering to your heart
   ‘Cause I know this is not
   Anything like you thought
   The story of your life was gonna be
   And it feels like the end has started closing in on you
   But it’s just not true
   There’s so much of the story that’s still yet to unfold..." 

     Life does not usually turn out the way we want it to. In fact, it rarely does. Situations and people change, and that busy, always moving, always changing environment takes a toll on us. This song reminds us to take a minute and find rest in Christ because He is working in ways that we cannot imagine. 

   "Of this glorious unfolding
   We will watch and see and we will be amazed
   If we just keep on believing the story is so far from over
   And hold on to every promise God has made to us
   We’ll see the glorious unfolding."

     This last chorus prompts us to be patient, to wait and see what the Lord will do in our lives and in our stories. When we let Him have control, when we step back and let Him take care of it, we will be mightily blessed.
   
     Here is the lyric video for the song: Steven Curtis Chapman - Glorious Unfolding (Official Lyric Video)

~Abby

                                                        Commit your way to the Lord,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;

Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,

Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;

Do not fret—it only causes harm.

~Psalm 37:5-8 (NKJV)

A song & a prayer

CHRISTMAS!!! IT'S HERE!!!!! FINALLYYYY!!!!!!

Now that I got that out of the way, a post on Christmas. I wanted to share a Christmas Carol today and I couldn't pick one... then I got it. 

"Away in a Manger"

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

It tells the Christmas story so simply, a child can understand. But it also has meaning for us older ones too, the children in heart! ;)

The third verse, especially the last line, contains a simple, yet wonderful prayer! Something we should ask on a daily basis: "Fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there."

I'm not going to talk about it because it is self-explanatory, but maybe in your own heart, ask that of the Lord today. Jesus, fit me for heaven so that I can live with You there!

Faithfulness...

Well, in the past week I have had some good news- I passed my Humanities! I now have 6 more college credits! This was a huge pick-me-up. I was very discouraged over this and receiving a passing grade was exactly what I needed! :]


My hours, which had been cut down at work, are starting to pick up again which I am very grateful for. 


I have so much to be thankful for. I have a job, a supportive family, and friends that I can depend on! What more could I ask for?

"Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul;

Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.

Thank you, Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation, so rich and free!"

O Lord God of hosts,

Who is mighty like You, O Lord?

Your faithfulness also surrounds You. ~Psalm 89:8

I serve a great and wonderful God who rules over all and is faithful to those who trust and believe in Him! Thank you Jesus!


Yours in Him,
Abby

It's days like these that make me want to just...

Today was, is... just keep reading. 


  I sometimes feel like maybe none of it is worth all the effort that I put into it. There's an unknown quote that says "Before you give up, think of the reason why you held on for so long." My problem is that I don't remember what I've been holding onto. I can't remember the reason behind anything. Sometimes I feel like I've been doing it all just because. Lately, I've been studying Humanities for school and because I only do what subject at a time, I get so focused on doing well in that one thing that I can't remember why I'm doing it in the first place. I get stressed out about one little thing and I can't seem to follow up on any of it. I'm sinking, drowning, going down, deeper into something that I don't understand.


   This song has been playing lately over the radio, my iPod, and even in my head. But it's not "touching" me at all. But I'll share it with you anyway and maybe it will bless you.


"You are more than the choices that you've made, 
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, 
You are more than the problems you create, 
You've been remade. 

'Cause this is not about what you've done, 
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been, 
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel, 
But what He felt to forgive you, 
And what He felt to make you loved. 

You are more than the choices that you've made, 
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, 
You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade." You are More by Tenth Avenue North

   There is a pressure to do different things and I feel like I'm drowning in it all. I think I am, drowning in the pressure and stress. I don't know. I don't understand. I want to know why. I want answers, but I'm not getting any.

 Why God, Why? Why do You give me these situations to go through but there does not seem to be anyway out? Why am I drowning? Why do I feel like it's all been in vain? Why do I feel like I'm doing it "just because?" WHY GOD, WHY?!?!? GIVE ME ANSWERS! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!