Oh wow, reading Philippians in the Amplified translation blew my mind!

7But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [[a]one combined] loss for Christ's sake.

8Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

9And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.

10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

11That if possible I may attain to the [[c]spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

13I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

14I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

15So let those [of us] who are spiritually mature and full-grown have this mind and hold these convictions; and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also.

16Only let us hold true to what we have already attained and walk and order our lives by that.

Falling in love with Simplicity

I've been meditating on 'the good news of Jesus,' going back to the foundation of salvation. It is for love that He sent His Son to pursue a relationship with me. It is for love that Jesus came as the perfect image of God the Father. It is for love that He has left me His Word to instruct me.
"For I have been saved through faith. And this was not my own doing; it was the gift of God, not a result of works, so that I cannot boast."
I've been asking the Lord to personalize my relationship with Him.
"For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that I should walk in them."
It has created questions in me to seek the One who chose me to see what He desires that I may be used for. Think on that with me. If you identify yourself as 'in Christ' saved by God's grace, then boldly ask the One who has called you what He has called you to. If you identify yourself by anything but the Lord, then I challenge you with the question: what are you living for?
The good news of Jesus is so beautiful and so simple! He desires to set us free from the bondage of sin and give us a purpose. We no longer have to be enslaved to live for things that hold us captive, but we are free to live for a purpose beyond this life. He has brought purpose to our lives. He pursues after our hearts: He freed me of living for myself, to live for One who has loved me eternally.

Eternity minded

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

Eternal life is to know God (John 17:3). This is so encouraging because before seeing the Lord and truly knowing Him, we may know Him now. This is eternal life. I've been challenged with this question lately: what am I living for? Really, what am I living for? It boils down to one purpose. Jesus. What am l living for? To know Him. I know for certain, because of His finished work for me, that one day I will truly know Him and see Him in the fullness of all that I've read. But I also know that eternal life now is to know Him now, and to truly respond to His desire to reveal Himself more.
I'm reminded of this reality as our Lucille went to be with the Lord this last weekend. As Doug her husband puts it, "she has graduated!" She has moved from this world to the real purpose of life! What a change of mind in thinking. I mean, think about it... as believers we live knowing that one day that we will be with the Lord... but meditate on this! Let it sink in. One day, like Lucille is now, all that we experienced of eternal life on earth will be displayed in its fullness. When my heart can grasp even just a piece of this, it makes me want to know Him so much now. It also breaks my heart for those who only intellectually know the Lord and haven't gotten to experience His love for them. There's so much more! I plead with you as I plead myself.. don't only know of Him, experience the goodness of our God... enjoy a sweet relationship with Him! I know Lucille is now, and I wonder what all she is experiencing as she is in His presence now.

He has put eternity into our hearts.. respond to His desire to show Himself.

Please pray for the Search family! They are rejoicing that Lucille is with Jesus, but I'm sure sad as they miss her on this side of eternity

In trials? Pray. Experiencing blessings? Sing.

This last Tuesday night we finished our study through the book of James. Tuesday nights have become my favorite time of the week. We all meet in the school parking lot and carpool over to a home where we get to have a home-cooked meal, meet new people, spend time in singing to the Lord, hear from the Word, and break up in groups to pray for one another.

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." James 5:13
This verse shows two circumstances of life: hard circumstances, good circumstances. This verse takes both and points us back to the Lord.
Hard times? Pray. James exhorts us to pray because he knows that in prayer we take our focus of current circumstances and shift our thoughts to the truth of God. Isn't that the truth? Trials can rob our eyes of seeing the goodness of the Lord and place them on the current thing. Praying refocuses us to truth.
Things going well? Sing. Why is James exhorting us to sing? I never caught this before- James tells us to sing because when things are going well in our lives, we may start to think we have things in control and lose focus on God. Sing to the Lord because in this you will recognize Him in it.

Whatever the season... remember Him

I was encouraged by this closing passage from James. I hope this blesses you as well! :)

God is good

God is good.
It’s something in the very beginning of my walk with the Lord that I’ve come to terms to know. I believe it is a life-long process to come to understand. God is good. I’ve come to know it by blessings. God is good. I’ve come to know it by circumstances. God is good. I’ve come to know it by His Word. God is good. I’ve come to know by trials.
I’ve learned intellectually of God’s goodness for so long, but I’m learning to see the blessing of learning it through experience. He is good- I cling to it because I know it is true. God is good. I know it because I know that there is nothing good in me. He is good. I know it because the only thing good in me is Him that lives in me.


"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7

"Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You." Psalm 142:8

Back from Costa Rica

Thanks for all of those who kept us in prayer while there. It was a great two weeks to see the missionaries down there, see the students before they left, and get to see a bit of the country there- green, mountainous, beautiful clouds, and friendly people! The three of us (Hollie, Carrie and I) flew down together and met up with the missionaries there (Ryan, Gerry, Sosi, Gabo and Vanessa) as well as Dave and Mark who were there teaching the last class. We got to see the ministry down there with Sunday night chapel now open to the community, the drug rehab ministry, and meet a lot of the locals that have been impacted by the guys down there.
Before going I had been asked to pray about serving down there this next semester as a missionary and Dean of Woman. I am still in prayer about this and ask that you would come alongside of me in praying! More pictures to come! :)

From Jacob to Israel

From ‘heal catcher’ to ‘God prevails.’ I keep thinking on the scripture where Jacob wrestles with God and the Lord changes his name to Israel. It’s a weird scripture to think on, but the sweet thing about it is the result from their wrestling. The Lord touches His hip and his joint was put out of its socket, and Jacob begs Him to bless him. The way the Lord blesses him is through the changing of his name. He will no longer identify himself as Jacob- Jacob with a history of trickery, but as Israel- one who is governed by God. Israel leaves with not only this blessing but with a noticeable change in his walk (a limp)- his walk with the Lord was different as well. It’s a funny thing in scripture to see Israel and Jacob used interchangeable, but through acts of faith Jacob was recorded as Israel.
The Lord brought to meditation on this area of scripture. I don’t fully understand it, but I’m amazed at Jacob's approach with the Lord to wrestle Him. I wonder what he was thinking in the midst of this. I mean, wrestling with God…? My relationship with the Lord is different than Jacob’s. I can’t imagine the guts to wrestle with God over something and expect Him to bless me. I usually result to “You’re God; You know what You’re doing.” But God honored his request for a name change. He changed his identity in his name; a name that stated that the Lord would thus be his identity.
I’ve been in that place of prayer. Lord, will you change my name in how I view myself? “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” Galatians 2:20. It is by faith that Israel walked as one who was governed by God. It is by faith that I walk also as one who is dead to my old man and alive in Christ. This is a daily call to die to self, pick up my cross and walk after the Lord. The best part of dying to self is that we are already dead to self according to the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is an identity of ‘dead to sin’ that we proclaim by faith. By faith we recognize that Jesus took our place, and we walk as one who is not only dead to our old man, but alive in Christ. Not only did Christ die for our sins, but He rose again and is seated with God. If He was raised, we know that we will also be raised to be with God. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” Colossians 3:1-3
Name change… I have been crucified with Christ!
From Jacob to Israel: Genesis 32:22-32, 35:9-10