“A Day in the Life of a Bench”

I found myself in a very strange season this year, a large part of my walk with God has been healing and facing 'unfinished business', that meant facing my deepest wounds so that I can be free to fully follow God's plan for me. God has also brought so much new blessing during this time. I feel as if the chapter of this blog will be closed after this, and I am so very excited to start my new one in January (details to come!).

The loss of my teammate in 2008 greatly affected my life and God has brought me back to that season to make a short film about Jen's life, told by her mother Ruth. This has been incredibly difficult, but by God's grace, amazing support (thanks Kevin), I am near the end. Here in this blog is a quick glimpse of it, my written pitch to my professor for the film.

I am forever learning more about God's Grace and I am speechless by it. Sometimes stepping out in faith, you fall on your face, you make mistakes, you sin, you cry, but you live, you learn of God's Grace even more and through it all, if you let yourself forgive and forget, you learn how to love even deeper. I ask for you prayers as I complete the editing process over the next week. Thank-you all.

I pray that you experience the extent of God's Grace and God's Love in Your Life.


This is a tribute to an amazing women that I was blessed to know, Jennifer Kathleen Simpson.

Written Pitch for Short Film

On January 27, 2008 in the late evening hours another victim was taken by bad winter road conditions, Jen Simpson, deeply loved and cherished, left this world. Five years later her legacy carries on by her mothers tenacious spirit and the University of the Fraser Valley rowing crew.

Tracking back to January 2007, 5:30am at the Fraser Valley Rowing Club on the Vedder Canal in Yarrow, British Columbia Canada. The sun has yet to rise from behind the glorious mountains, the ground covered with snow, and the frost bites at fingers and toes. The only sound you would hear is the splash of an oar gliding through the water and the shout of a voice off in the distance yelling “Hard port! Watch out for that log! Let it run!”


Fast forward eight months, same time of day in Fort Langley British Columbia, Canada at the local rowing club. You would hear the same sounds multiplied, more oars in the water, more rowers in the University of the Fraser Valley boats and much more shouting from the coach. The rowers are preparing to begin their grueling three months of competition. They train hard for this all year, on the water every morning at 5:30am and in the gym every evening. They do this all in great hope of a first place finish in what is only a two kilometer, eight to ten minute race.

In that year, 2007, Jen Simpson was in one of those boats, her first year discovering the beauty of rowing, every day she was on the dock, 5:30am, with a smile on her face ready to take on the cold and cheer on her teammates. She spent most of time in an older boat, it was heavy, she was light, the boat was slow, she was learning to push harder and get stronger and this was how the boat the “Big Bison” came to be. Rather than being upset at being stuck in a heavy old boat Jen, the light that she was, made light of the situation, naming the boat “Big Bison”. Now the original “Big Bison” has finished its days and there is a new boat, a lighter and faster one. The name will stay the same, “Big Bison” a legacy that will live on forever and always be a reminder of how we can just as easily choose to grumble over a situation as we can choose to be joyful, despite the situation.

What remains of Jen is a beautiful memorial bench on campus, an athletic scholarship, new rowing equipment and hundreds of wonderful memories. This short film will share Jen’s story, through the words of mother. This film that I will put together, being a former teammate and friend of Jen will raise awareness on the continual fight to keep her memorial bench on campus free from cigarette butts littered around it, as well as the fight to keep her memorial scholarship recipient a rower, who represents the person of joy encouragement and perseverance that Jen was.

One Day I Will Be Released…

...When I learn to Simply LIVE with LOVE.


Some of my recent thoughts, a little all over the place but I wanted to share. I keep getting these wonderful revelations of God's Love, I pray that you too would experience this daily!

I think perhaps the biggest lie I ever believed was when I was making the decision to re-dedicate my life back to the Lord in 2008 was this, “Christianity is boring”. I almost fall over laughing at this now as I reminisce over the last 4 years, my journey has certainly been a lot of things, some things good, some things bad but boring, not even close! I have experienced joy so abundantly that can only be described as little moments of Heaven on earth and pain so deep that I thought I would die before my next breath. I have lived in happiness, love, faith, hope, kindness, blessing as well as oppression, depression, unbelief, suffering and heartache. I have felt the presence of God as a consuming fire and I have felt the deceiving fire’s of hell. I have overcome obstacles in my faith that are only understood by the Lord. I have been rejected, insulted, cut down, betrayed, sick, hungry, tired, deceived, hated, lonely, depressed, angry, frustrated, mistaken, misunderstood, lost, confused, and completely broken multiple times. More than all of that, I have been LOVED by God and by His people and because I know this LOVE of the Father I can press on. I can forgive others for the hurt because I have been forgiven and saved by the grace of the Lord paid for by the blood of Jesus. It is because of this Love that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me as I enter into a time in my faith of knowing good and evil while continually learning to live relying on the Word of God.

I look forward now to a future time when I can yet again be sent out to the nations for the Gospel’s sake, but for now I wait patiently on the Lord’s timing. In my spirit I am ready, my heart aches for the nations, I am beginning to hope again to spread the love of Jesus to the nations for the first time in over a year. I went through some great hardships and was stripped bare. Each day I now grow in the ways of the Lord, each day I know Jesus a little more, I still make mistakes but this is how I grow. As difficult as some parts of living for the Lord are, the thought of not living a life with God seems utterly horrid, something I am not willing to risk.

So I yet again stand at a crossroad, do I leave this season in the wilderness and risk everything? Or am I going to continue wondering through the desert trying to gain back what I’ve already given up? The choice is difficult, the right answer is clear, yet I find myself more human and more afraid than ever before. I have come to see that anyone who has done anything really great has indeed taken a great risk not knowing the outcome. So I sit and wait, and the more I sit and wait the more I begin to realize that perhaps I am not waiting on the Lord, but He is waiting on me to take the risk, to trust Him wholly and fully with every single part of my life, no matter how messed up I am and how many things I think need fixing in my character. I continue to make small compromises that take away from my faith. I continue to have a back -up plan, “just in case” God doesn’t show up. Even writing that, I feel truly and utterly convicted. I live in society where we have to “line up all our ducks in a row” before we are willing to try anything worthy to be significant, that we must be secure, comfortable, reliant upon our resources before we can leap for God. For some reason I keep trying to find that in the Bible, even though I know it isn’t there. In the word of God, I don’t see “make sure you are all taken care of and then come and follow me”. Actually what I see is this:

Matthew 4:19 NIV
“"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV
19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:25-34
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look 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? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (emphasis added)

So I stand staring at the sands in my wilderness, inching one step at a time towards a greater faith in the Lord my God. Each day God continues to prove His faithfulness to me. My human strength dwindles low, God’s spirit empowers me to carry out simple daily tasks and to love each individual person that God brings into my path. I am thankful that no matter where I am God teaches me to live simply in the moment enjoying relationship with the Lord and loving people no matter their culture, their story or their beliefs. The truth really is that all the gifts of the spirit that God gives us are powerless without the love of God behind them.

This lesson of LOVE is the most valuable I am learning and will continue to learn throughout this journey towards eternity with Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:1-3 NIV
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Thank You Lord for loving me and saving me from an eternity of separation from you through Jesus Christ. Thank You for the daily empowerment by your spirit, given to me as a gift of your grace.
Amen

I'm Not Lost...

I’m Not Lost…

I’m not lost,
Why can’t you see?
I’ve found the greatest thing worth living for!
I’ve found the secret key to unlock every chain!
His name is Love,
His name is Wisdom,
His name is Power,
His name is Hope,
His name is Kindness,
His name is Longsuffering,
His name is Patience,
His name is Joy,
His name is Peace,
His name is Jesus.

He took me,
When I was nothing,
And He made me new
He took my dirt stained ashes,
And created a glorious garden!

Why must you continue to push me towards happiness?
Don’t you see that I’ve found it?
Don’t you see that my joy is in my heart and cannot be stolen from me?
Why would I look for happiness in this world?
When I’ve already found the only thing worth giving my life for?
I would endure the hardships over and over again,
If it would help you see,
If it would help you know,
The Peace that I have found.

I was naïve to think that the world would understand,
This joy in Jesus,
If I had studied the scriptures studiously,
I would have seen more clearly,
That Jesus, fully human and fully God
Was rejected by man,
If I had paid attention, I too would have seen,
That to follow Jesus,
Would lead to the same fate for me.

How could I be so silly to think,
That following Jesus would be understood
By those eyes that are blind,
and the ears that cannot hear.
What love is greater than that of our Heavenly Father?
That no matter what it takes,
No matter the offense,
It is a love that leads to an eternal life,
With King Jesus

There is no greater purpose in which to live for.

Cry out for the Sound of Heaven

[petition to the Lord]

Oh Lord,
I am not worthy
I am not worthy
To receive your call
To follow you
To know you in intimacy
To praise you as Highest King
Lord of Lords,
King of Kings,

You have made me worthy,
By your Grace,
By the Blood of Jesus,
How you love me so,
How you come and
Cleanse me from my sins
You wash away all the
Stains and ugliness,
You lead me beside still waters
You restore my soul
You make all things new

I am not worthy to be yours
I am not worthy to suffer for you
I sell my birthright for a piece of food
Lord you have so much mercy on me

Lord, your name
Is above all names
You are the one
To be exalted above all else
Just a taste of your power
Is more than we can bare

Lord do away with the performers
Call forth your worshippers,
Do away with the music of Lucifer
We call forth the music
Of the throne of God,
Send your heavenly messengers
To the saints,
That we may bare the music of your throne
On earth
As it is in Heaven

Let us glorify you
King of Kings
Worship the one
and only True God

Do away with the
Clanging symbols and noisy gongs
That tear apart your heart oh Lord

Teach us Father,
The sound that is pleasing to
Your ears
Tell us oh Lord, what do you think?
What do you want us to sing?
What is the sound
You want to hear?
Oh Lord send us the
Sound of heaven

Purify us,
Cleanse us,
Renew us,
Teach us your ways oh God,
We long to please you.

Lord, if you only you would come
With your spirit, your grace
Anoint us with Love
For one another
Anoint us with fasting,
For your sound
Anoint us with
A passion and zeal
For your house

Your name will be
Re-established on the earth
You will once again be put
In your rightful place
You will once again be exalted
Above all others
Alpha , Omega
Beginning and End
The one,
Who sits on the Throne

In Jesus precious name,
Amen

Praise you in the Morning Lord!

Lift up your eyes, discouraged one,
The Lord your help will be;
New Strength will come from Him who said,
"For rest, come unto Me." - Anon

The Lord really touched my heart with this, this morning.
Lord, each time you weed my heart and put the roots deeper it is painful, but I am full of Thanksgiving that in your mercy and grace you care enough to discipline me and teach me your ways so that I may know you more, be completely dependent on your ways and live life abundantly. I love you Lord. Amen
Psalm 119:65-72

65. You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word,
66.Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments,
67.Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
68. You are good and do good;
teach me your statues.
69. The insolent smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
70. their heart is unfeeling like fat,
but I delight in your law.
71. It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn your statutes.
72. The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

May God Bless your day today!

The King is Coming!

I saw the man made walls,
they shook,
they fell,
Then the Lord spoke and this is what I heard;
[to the Body of Christ]

Prepare the way of the Lord,

A voice crying out in the wilderness,

The King is Coming!
The King is Coming!
This is the one we have been
Waiting for!
He is Risen!
He is Alive!
He dwells among us!
He is coming to take us home!
Prepare the way!
Fill with Oil!
Dance for the King!
Celebrate the Kings arrival!
The precious cornerstone has
Laid His foundation!
Upon Him we build our church!
The gates of Hades will not Prevail
He is Alive!
Jesus is Alive!
Celebrate all you worshippers!
Celebrate the coming of the King!

Sing Praises,
Day and Night!
Time to take off the
Cloak of mourning!
Time to celebrate!
The beauty of the King
Is Indescribable!
He is Coming!

Awake oh sleepers!
The time of celebration
Is near!
He will wipe every tear
From our eyes!
We give the Lord highest praise!
We give Him our first fruits!
All belong to the Lord!
He is coming!
Believe!

Jesus has risen!
He is Alive!
He is housed inside of you!
Awake oh Sleepers!
Remove the scales from your eyes
And the cotton from your ears
See
Hear

The King is coming
He will take His rightful place
All His enemies are crushed under his feet!
The King has come!
The King has prepared the feast!
Dance!
Put on your best clothes!
Adorn yourself with Jewels
Like a bride!
Bride, get ready, for
Your wedding day is near!

The Lord has spoken!
The appointed day is near!
The King is coming!
Prepare the way!
I will loose your tongues
I will open the eyes of the blind
I will open the ears of the deaf
Prepare the way!

The day of Redemption is near!
The day of Repentance is here!
Confess all you sleepers, return
To your first love!
I am here!
I am near!
Listen to the prophets of old and new!
I am here!
I am near!
Praise the Lord all you souls!

Praise the Lord!

A Hug from the Lord

Something has shifted today,
It feels like spring,
not only in the natural with
the shining sun,
but in my heart,
has the season finally changed?
From a long cold lonesome
dark winter,
into a fresh new spring?
Is this a taste of the season to come?

I asked the Lord for
a hug,
a hug so filled with love
that my entire being would
be overflowed with warmth
and deep love.

I have no one here to
give me that kind of love
So the Lord himself,
Came to me in my
restless sleep,
my confusing dreams
and gave me a hug.

So filled with His
great love,
I woke up,
and felt in love,
I don't remember the
last time I felt
that way, maybe once,
perhaps never,
perhaps as a child,
innocent
of the worlds ugliness.

I asked the Lord for
many things yesterday,
12 pages worth to
be exact,

But Him and His ways,
He came to show me who
He is,
Above everything else,
He is LOVE

Has The Storm of My Heart Finally Ended?...

...Or is this just the eye of the hurricane?

I want to share more of my heart again in this journal, I want others to read about my journey in hopes of encouraging them in theirs. I have been through so much in such a short time, so much I didn't understand, I could not even formulate words to write it. I was afraid to share in case I seemed too crazy, too eccentric, or too radical. My heart burns with my love for the Lord and I am never sure how to share it. In person, my 'humanness' always seems to get in the way, my insecurities or my selfish desires. It is from that place that I realized I must go back to what I can do well, I can write, it's not perfect, but it is the best way I can express my heart.

I am going to try to be as honest as possible in these writings, I want to truly express what I am walking through with the Lord, in hopes that the Father's Love may show through everything I write, even the hurts, sorrows, brokenness, anger, bitterness, confusion and chaos. As much as I try to hide from those things, they are in fact, a part of this life, and I will endure them for a time until eternity, when I will never experience any of those things ever again. It is time for me to head out on the road again and I await the Lord's instructions.

The Lord has given me a title for this next season, which by the Lord's grace may be a book one day...He called it "Choosing to Be Chosen". We all have an eternal purpose, and I pray as I seek the Lord in mine, that you too may find yours.

Love Always,

Alicia

Live

Live,

With the grace of woman, not the grief of a child;
And learn to build all your roads on today because
Tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down mid-flight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that your really can endure;
That you really are strong
And you really have worth;
And you learn and learn…
With every goodbye, you learn.

-unknown

[wisdom passed on from Grandma to Mama to Me]

The Vision - Pete Grieg

Isaiah 29:18
In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

Isaiah 32:3
Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

Mark 4:9
Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. [Rev 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22, 13:9]


The Words of the Vision.... – By Pete Grieg

So this guy comes up to me and says,
“What’s the vision? What’s the big idea?”
I opened my mouth, and the words came out like this…

The vision?

The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.

The vision is an army of young people. You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.

They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn't even notice.
They Know the meaning of Matrix,
The way the west was won.
They are mobile like the wind,
They belong to the nations,
They need no passport.

People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange exsistance.
They are free,
yet they are slaves
of the hurting and dirty and dying.

What is the vision ?
The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes.
It makes children laugh and adults angry.
It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars.
It scorns the good and strains for the best.
It is dangerously pure.

Light flickers from every secret motive,
every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army
that will lay down its life for the cause.
A million times a day its soldiers
choose to lose
that they might one day win
the great 'Well done' of faithful sons and daughters.

Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night.
They...

... don't need fame from names.
Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again:
"COME ON!"

And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground

And the army is discipl(in)ed.

Young people who beat their bodies into submission.

Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms. The tattoo on their back boasts
"for me to live is Christ and to die is gain".

Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes.
Winners.
Martyrs.
Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed?
Can fear scare them or death kill them ?

And the generation prays

like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching: 24 – 7 – 365.

Whatever it takes they will give:
Breaking the rules.
Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide.
Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs,
laughing at labels,
fasting essentials.
The advertisers cannot mould them.
Hollywood cannot hold them.
Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.

They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive (on the inside).

On the outside?
They hardly care!
They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.
Would they surrender their image or their popularity?
They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell.
A throne for an electric chair.

With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days, they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them.

Their words make demons scream in shopping centres.
Don't you hear them coming?
Herald the weirdo's! Summon the losers and the freaks.
Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes.
They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension.
Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.

And this vision will be.
It will come to pass;
it will come easily;
it will come soon.

How do I know?
Because the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very
Dream of
God.
My tomorrow is His today.
My distant hope is His 3 – D.
And my feeble,
Whispered,
Faithless prayer
Invokes a thunderous,
Resound
Bone-shaking
Great “Amen”
From countless angels,
From heroes of the faith,
From Christ Himself.
And He is the original dreamer,
The ultimate winner.
Guaranteed.

-Pete Greig.

Ballad - First Line of Defense Called

I’m ready,
365 days
Of counting the cost,
As far as I am able to see,
The price I will pay to continue on the journey with Jesus
To gain nothing of this world,
But to see Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

Oh Lord,
Please show me heaven,

I ignore the battle in my mind
And listen to the spirit.
I hear,
It’s time,
It’s time to Go,

My Father see’s me,
He says I’m beautiful,
My Father knows me,
He’s counted every hair on my head,
My Father never leaves me,
He’s sent His comforter to fill every empty place,
My Father never forsakes me,
Because His love never fails,
I am His Daughter,
Daughter of the King

He covers us with the blood of Jesus,
He clothes us in armor,
Helmet of Salvation,
Breastplate of Righteousness,
Belt of Truth,
Sandals of the Gospel of Peace,
The Shield of Faith
And the Sword,
Of the Spirit,

Every moment matters,
We are trained for war,
We are strong,
In body,
In mind,
In spirit,
Because our God is
The Great
I AM

We will be Strong,
We will be Courageous,
We will have Faith,
We are covered in Grace,
Clothed in Righteousness,
Walking with the feet,
The hands,
The voice,
The dance,
The heart,
Of Our,
King Jesus.

We are Ready
We Will Go
I Will Go,
To prepare the way of our Coming King.
Jesus,

He is the Call,
He is the Way,
He is the Light,
He is the Truth,
Our hearts are one with His,
Now
And Forever More.

We love you Lord,
We live to honor you,
We give our lives fully to you,
Take it all,
Leave no bone dry,
Fill us with your living water,
As we serve your Holy Name,
As we honor and glorify you,
In all that we do

Keep our eyes fixed,
On the one and only true God,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
We put no other before you,
Our hearts are burning,
A Holy fire,
To make the way for the King,
Lord, let your Glory fall,
That all would be saved,
That all would know your love

We love you,
We love you Lord,
Let our lives be a pleasing sacrifice to you,

Amen

We Must Remember the Cross

Dear Abba,

Lord, I remember that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the reason I get to communicate with you, everyday, anytime I ask. It’s the reason all my sins are erased and that I am made a new creation in Christ Jesus. It’s the reason that in the hard times I must look at the joy set before me in my eternal home. Jesus is the reason I have life and I can think of nothing worse than living in separation from my Creator. I must remember the Cross. Every day I must remember the price that was paid on the Cross for my soul to spend eternity with my Creator. I am blessed to be your servant Lord. It is my honor and I am humbled by your mercy God. Nothing that you may ask of me to is too great in comparison to who You are and the price that Jesus paid on the Cross. Thank you Lord for my comforter, my helper, the Holy Spirit whom through your power never leaves me. God I pray that all those called to your Kingdom would come to a greater understanding of this great Love here on earth. I pray for all the martyr’s, who knew the truth of the Cross and held fast to it even until death. God may your Saints be strengthened daily in revelation of your great love. Thank you Lord for sharing your heart with us, Thank you for your incomprehensible Love that never fails.


Love your servant and your daughter,


Alicia Louisa

Romans 5:1-11

Peace with God Through Faith

1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, wea have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faithb into this grace in which we stand, and wec rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. 3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Amen

It’s those little moments…

It’s those little moments that make it all worth it.

I never thought I would live a life that I woke up each morning pinching myself, wondering if I was still alive or somehow got transported to another place. Once I realize I am in fact, still on earth my thoughts continue on to a deep wondering if I have completely lost my mind and I am filled with a strange fear, yet before that fear it can even take a grip on my heart, is pushed away by unexplainable yet lovely peace. Then I remember why these strange feelings arise with me in the morning, it all started with the choice I made, a choice, either to stay in safety and comfort, where everything is familiar and feels good, or to venture completely into the unknown. It is at this point that I remember I made the choice to venture into the unknown. I stumble out of bed trying to feel brave, but wanting to run to some sort of safety, wanting to take back my decision, but knowing that I did make the choice that leads to the narrow path, a choice that will echo in eternity, a choice that when I stand on judgement day, I will know that it was right.

Each day is taken a moment at time, when fear tries to grip my heart I can feel the love of my Heavenly Father overcome it. Sometimes He uses the spirit of peace, sometimes He uses Joy, sometimes He uses words from scripture and sometimes He uses people.

I must say, there is nothing that can warm the heart like a conversation with a beloved friend a million miles away. When we are at our weakest moments trying with all our might to be brave, silently whispering the name of Jesus under our breath to give us comfort, and the phone rings with the sweet sound of a familiar voice, it’s like heaven comes crashing down to earth. It’s those little words of encouragement that can break through every discouragement and give us the strength we need to go on.

It’s little moments like that, amist a whirlwind of chaos, that make it all worth it.

Dedicated to anyone who has taken a leap of Faith into the unknown.

Alicia