music monday: forever reign by hillsong

I have always enjoyed running. It is more of an outlet than anything else. Time to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the outdoors. I am not a treadmill kind of girl. I get a little stir crazy being the same spot.

I started running in high school as a stress relief. Nothing formal, just some shoes and myself . Running gave me freedom and distance from problems. A little bit of my own reality and peace to mix in with the chaos of my home life. 

These days, I find running helps to keep myself in balance and disciplined to know God better, as he is constantly guiding my steps. He has shown me that running to him is always the answer, even though some days it seems so much easier to run away. Run away from the daily grind. From diapers and sippy cups and messes and whining and disciplining. Run away from the biggest blessings God has given me.

I truly believe that your biggest blessings can be your biggest trials, as well. What that looks like to you may be different. Perhaps your dream job has become a nightmare with more hours being logged than you anticipated. Or your knight in shining armor has become more of a frog. Or your much prayed for child has been more than you feel you can handle. Or your lack of a child at this time in life. Whatever it is, I pray that you would run to God with it. He already knows what you need before you ask (Matt 6:8) and wants all of you, even the messy parts.  

I pray that you would seek God to reopen your eyes to the blessings of it all. I pray that you would be transformed by the renewing of your mind in the situation that may seem hopeless (Romans 12:2). I pray that you would learn from your situation the lessons that only God can teach from it.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

I pray that you would see the joy in the midst of the storms and that you would not give up. That you would be able to share your trials with others because that is what community is for (Galations 6:2). I pray that your trial would be an example of your faith to others and encouragement to those going through the same thing.

Forever Reign by Hillsong is constantly playing in my head as I jog, along with prayers for the neighborhood, family and friends and you. Have a listen.

I’m running to Your arms, the riches of Your love will always be enough 

           nothing compares to Your embrace, light of the world, forever reign.

Here's to trials and running to God. Here's to perseverance and incomprehensible joy through it all. 

music monday: hosanna by hillsong united

I was gathered with some friends, when the topic of our culture came up. Relating to people. The importance of knowing pop culture to relate to others.

This is one of the issues my husband and I differ on, too. For me, this does not settle well. When God called me out of my life of sin, the majority of pop culture went with it.  Music and movies and books and celebrities and their gossip. I have a hard time getting involved in it. It is so void and being caught up in it offers only null returns.

This was a conviction that God showed me and perhaps you cannot resonate with it all. That is okay, too. I am not here to judge; just to be obedient with what God wants me to share.

I have bad lyrics creep in at inappropriate times, and I have to find new ones to overcome them - I do not need to know more. And more importantly, I do not want the lips of my children to be singing them. Why fill their heads with words that are going to return void? I pray that you would not have to have this struggle or pass that down to your children.

And watching movies that promote premarital sex and drugs and violence. I am a visual person. The images and quotes get stuck in my memory and I can repeat the lines of inappropriate scenes as it is. I pray that you would be filled with the love of Christ and his word, not the world's.

As I listened to Hosanna by Hillsong, these lyrics really resonated with me. Have a listen. 

I see his love and mercy washing over all our sin the people sing Hosanna Hosanna in the highest. I see a generation rising up to take their place with selfless faith.

I pray that this generation would not be so caught up in the media that the love of God is drown out by it. That their songs would be those of praise to God, not to the world. That their thoughts would be pure and embedded with mercy and love.  That their faith would be based on what Jesus did for them and in doing so would be fruitful and full of life. 

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self - controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14

We have been called to be holy. To live lives that are different from the world. Not to conform but to love. They will know we are Christians by our love, anyone (John 13:35)?

Not all music and movies are degrading and inappropriate but a lot of them are. Unrealistic expectations are engrained and inapt comments are instilled in your memory to be used at just the right time.

Our culture needs more knowledge of scripture and biblical principles and less of the ability to quote the latest movie or songs from the top 40.

Everyone has their own filters as to what is acceptable but God calls us higher than our own thoughts and judgments. To his thoughts and his likeness. To be holy like he is holy.

I pray that when you stand in lines at check out and see the magazine covers with celebrities and their shenanigans, that you would pray that they will find Christ and ache for their mishaps and trials they are going through and for the people who are writing the articles that are not composed of truth. It is a sad, vicious cycle full of anger and malice. I pray you would not want to be a part of it all.  

I pray that the next time you push the on button to the media, that you would think about what you are allowing in to your memory and time and space. Is it going to build yourself up? Help someone else? Praise God? Would you like your child and the God of the universe to be sitting next to you on the couch with your viewing choice?

Here's to more God filters and less media. More time spent dwelling on him alone.

music monday: do something by matthew west

Health is something we easily take for granted until something comes up. The test is positive. The x ray reveals what is causing the systems. The prognosis is not looking good. It is at these times that everything else falls at the wayside and the fight begins. The fight for your life. Or the life of a loved one. Perhaps your own child. 

When I came across Alex's Lemonade Stand last year, I knew it was something our family had to take part in and was quickly added to our family's bucket list for the summer, along with dinners and mini vacations. We have been blessed with healthy children but other parents have not. What would I do if my child were sick? Truly sick. With the possibility of death as an outcome. The question would definitely not be what I do but what I wouldn't do to help them. We may not be able to sit next to them in the waiting room or hug them through treatments but we can do a little. We can organize and plan and facilitate events to fund research for a cure or help with traveling expenses. 

The non profit was started by a four year old girl who wanted to raise money via a lemonade stand to cure childhood cancer. The cancer she had been fighting since she was merely one year old. She went to be with Jesus when she was just eight years old but her memory lives on through the lives she continues to touch as new research and hope is given to families fighting the same fight all because of her stand. When God closes one door, he opens another one. It truly breaks my heart to think of Alex' family and their trials but the beauty that has come from it is amazing and the lives of those who have been touched is immeasurable. 

We began praying what this would look like for our family to help. When? Where? Location? And just as God always does, he made the whole thing happen as only he can.

Our neighborhood has a fourth of July parade each year and we had planned on walking in it with our church, as we had done the previous year but this year there was not an entry.

Very last minute, we prayed about doing our stand at the park where the parade ends and it all fell in to place. We got in kind donations from Nugget, a local grocery store, so we did not have to worry about supplies. We had friends and family give yummy snacks, time and monetary donations. The go ahead for the space at the park the parade ends at was given. And my favorite part of all, a few weeks before we even knew when we would do the event, the stand practically landed on our doorstep. I had been praying for something to use that was a little funner and fancier than a table. On a walk one day we found our answer. A neighbor a few houses down was giving away a desk for free. It was perfect. Ricardo noisily wheeled it to the garage.

Here's the before and after.

With exactly enough leftover paint and a chalkboard sign, it was perfect.

It was humbling to see the community come together and respond and God move. We our goal was to raise $500 and we came in at $420, which will fund just over a day of research. Woohoo! I am so thankful for everyone who helped and gave and did something bigger than themselves.

Not to mention we learned what a great barista Penny makes. Who knew?

The scripture says to carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). This is a tangible way of coming a long side families who are broken at the core and having to watch their children fight a hard fight and give them a bit of hope. No one can do everything but we can do something that impacts others and changes the world, one cup at a time as their slogan reads. If you feel lead to set up a stand in your area or be involved in one of their many events, have a look at their website for more info on all of the awesome things they are doing and how you can help. 

Penny's favorite song, second only to Build your kingdom by Rend Collective, of course, is Do Something by Matthew West. It seems appropriate to insert here. Have a listen.



I pray that God will reveal to you a little something that you can do. And that you will say yes to it.

Here's to more helping and doing all in the name of Christ.