Arms Open Wide

In a state of perfected surrender

God would see my soul as a myriad of
beautiful works and miracles. He would see a self-emptied, available
soul, ready to reflect the will & Kingdom of Christ. Surrendered to
the kingdom; He sees a soul full of worship & melodies from heaven. He
sees the fruit of a college ministry bursting at the seams, He sees a
confident, bold disciple secure in the timing & work of Christ. He
sees the faces of souls rejoicing in the salvation they've found &
walking in dynamic destiny.
A direct reflection of the operating work of Christ: errupting hope,
explosive joy, irreplaceable peace.

I had an encounter with Jesus tonight. Sitting in my room I was thinking about the
recent messages of Christ Follower and Navigate and I had to come face
to face with the fact that I haven't trusted God in EVERYTHING to be
who He has told me He is. Out of not understanding, or disobedience I've been putting MY words in Gods mouth.

There was a moment, sitting in my room when all the noise of my
thoughts was silenced by this song softly in the background...."Arms Open Wide" by Hillsong United. It was at the part where they are singing "have your way".

Starting the song over and putting it on repeat; I just got this picture of the movie of my life...Jesus walking right along side me; running with me when i was running, and then those other times carrying me through the tough stuff...but just smiling
through everything, through all of it- because He knows the end. and it's GOOD.

So tonight God was saying something like this:
"I want to do so much more in you, and through you-but...let me empty
you, even of some good things. Let me do it."

Man, I wanna see the day when a whole generation is totally abandoned to that!

So give it all; just trust. God is good...so let him be good. Let Him be God.

::meg

Yes and Amen

20-22Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (MSG)

-Run in "YES" and declare in "AMEN" today!
meg

::new song:: Psalm 23

why not blog via song? i was meditating on Psalm 23 all day yesterday... listen below:

Psalm 23

Psalm 113

<sup>LOVE this Psalm from the message version::

1-3</sup> Hallelujah! You who serve God, praise God!
Just to speak his name is praise!
Just to remember God is a blessing—
now and tomorrow and always.
From east to west, from dawn to dusk,
keep lifting all your praises to God!

^4-9 God is higher than anything and anyone,
outshining everything you can see in the skies.
Who can compare with God, our God,
so majestically enthroned,
Surveying his magnificent
heavens and earth?
He picks up the poor from out of the dirt,
rescues the wretched who've been thrown out with the trash,
Seats them among the honored guests,
a place of honor among the brightest and best.
He gives childless couples a family,
gives them joy as the parents of children.
Hallelujah!

::meg

This I Believe :: Podcast

I had an assignment for my English class... to create a podcast about "this i believe." What a way to share my faith!!!!! i had fun doing it...even though i waited until the night before. and it's now 3am. :) My professor doesn't know what's coming. I love that :) Visit my page and Listen Below...

Tragedy and Jesus... and Me

Last week one of my friends went through a tragedy...something that makes the worries of the economy seem frivolous; issues of political debate, wasteful; daily inconveniences, trivial. I sat with this friend and held her hand, and listened.
For a while time almost stood still. Faith and hope felt compressed- composure hanging on by a thread; and I had no words. It was amazing to me that I had no words. I could re assure her how much God loves her and that He has a purpose and a plan for her life and everything we go through- and I did! Except that seemed exhausted; she knows God.
I couldn't tell her why it happened or what life will be like after. In a time like that, you forget about "humor" to cover up insecurities. You experience raw vulnerability.
You don't ask empty questions like "How's your day?" or "Whatcha doin later?" or expect it in return.
I think God just wanted to be with her in that moment; much like i was, holding her hand.

Love has many expressions, some of which just don't need words. But the beauty is, God's expression of love, His word, never returns void, deprived, destitute, lacking or unoccupied. Which means there's always something there...even when situation rips everything else away.
God has been speaking to me ever since that day about the importance and emphasis and definition we place on loving others. I think we itemize our love and categorize it's effect. We place OUR words in Love's mouth when it's actions actually speak so much louder. Love never goes away, just like God's word.

Have you ever stopped to think; when DID we forget about loving people? Not focusing on what they're dealing with but what they're going through.

Psalm 14:4
"Don't they know anything, all these impostors? Don't they know they can't get away with this-treating people like a fast-food meal over which they're too busy to pray?"

When did we become an impostor of love? imposing our angle on love into others lives?

vs 7: "Is there anyone around to save Israel? Yes. God is around; God turns life around. Turned-around Jacob skips rope, turned around Israel sings laughter."

Jesus turns life around. He is our Father, he's our friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is our Savior, our hiding place. He's our shield and our protector. He is strong when we are weak.

This is for someone right now. God loves you. His love never leaves you or fails you. There IS life after tragedy, there IS hope after hurt. There IS peace despite pain.

::meg

Blogging? What's Blogging??

? Oh right, that thing I do to keep no one, and every one up to date on my life and my random theological thoughts.

Yes, I've been MIA: so to give no one, and every one a quick update on my life- I've decided to post some pics.

So since my last post, I turned 21:

and you would think i had a pic of that. but i don't


Had my knees drained!
Before picture:









NO need for an after picture of my whiteness. Just PRAISE Jesus they are back to almost better than normal :)

I got a puppy!!!













His name is Jazz, He's great, I think I'll keep him. and yes...he is tiny...i realize this :)



This is Jazz and Grizz, they have matching sweaters.








more from me to come!











::meg