A Thanksgiving verse/"blessing" for you all...

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge– because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
1Corinthians 1:4-9 (NIV)

version from The Message:
Every time I think of you– and I think of you often!– I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There's no end to what has happened to you–it's beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.
Just think– you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside you to keep you steady and on track until all things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

As I was reading this in the NIV version, I was trying to make sense of it, and wanted to put it on here as a prayer of thanks to my friends. I decided to take a look at it from "The Message" point of view, and really liked it's version. I love how God surprises me while reading a verse I'm intending for something else and then it's like BAM... "no Lisa, that was for you too"

letting go

I've been at this place for awhile now, learning what it means to fully let go, and where to go from here.

Gripping on so tight with the security I have inside
Knowing what is right holding onto my pride

Letting go of the things I hold so dear
Letting go of all my pain and all my fears
Letting go of the things I hold so dear
Letting go of all my pain and all my fears

I have been brought to a place
Where I want to give up everything
Where all I can do is seek your face
And my brokenness I will bring

Holding on to the things I deem so strong
Holding on even tho my faith has been built so long
Holding on to the things I deem so strong
Holding on to what I know

I'm letting go

-Jeremy Camp



God, grant me the grace of a deep and true repentance.

deliver me

Deliver me out of the sadness
Deliver me from all the madness
Deliver me courage to guide me
Deliver me Your strength inside me

CHORUS:
All of my life
I've been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You're here
Now that I've found You
I know that You're the One to pull me through

Deliver me loving and caring
Deliver me giving and sharing
Deliver me this cross that I'm bearing

Oh, deliver me

Jesus, Jesus how I trust You
How I've proved You o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
Deliver me
Come and pull me through
Come pull me through

- david crowder

lesson learned

During the summer(and a couple times since) you may remember my mention of the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge, how great it was and that I was getting a lot out of it. I wished I knew this stuff and could've held it close during those late high-school/early college years of my life.
That got me thinking about my small group girls, and the junior girls in general(only a third of them are in my group), and got me thinking about doing some kind of bible study/book study with them. I did some talking with a few of them to see if it was something they would be interested in, and I got a lot of positive feedback. But, I was still hesitant, mostly because I've never felt like a stellar, "teaching leader," if you will. I can listen to girls, give advice, encouragement and prayer, but put me in a position of teaching and I feel so inadequate.
After a lot of prayer(and talking to Scott) and procrastination, I finally made up a flyer about it and took the junior girls aside before small groups and told them about this opportunity which was to start November 13th(today).
This was a week and a half ago, which I thought would be enough time. If I had mentioned it too early in advance, I thought they'd forget. I made sure to make an announcement on wed. night to remind them that it was this sunday, and a lot of them asked me about it to confirm directions etc.
Unfortunately, only two ended up making it tonight! :( I was all ready and prepared too! I was a bit disapointed, but things just happen, and they just seemed to happen to a bunch of them tonight. The three of us talked a little bit about what it would look like and also thought of about 5 people who were originally planning to come.
So, I'm not too upset, but the one thing I didn't plan so well was how much in advance I should be letting students know about things. I always forget how busy they are as well, and that two weeks probably would have been ideal. I was just so focused about wanting it to start, and frustrated with my procrastinating, that I didn't want to wait longer. But my lesson has been learned, it didn't get me any further. owell...

exactly.

For some time now, I've been trying to some up how I've been feeling inside. It has been a mish mash of things, which seem to be happening around me, things I feel I have no control over. I've had a hard time describing it, because I haven't wanted to sound mopy or like I'm having a pity party. But tonite (early sun. morning), I ran across Jan's blog and it spoke so much of what I've been feeling... read it here if you haven't already.

The first line reads:
What do you do with the undone places of life? The sentences which never get punctuated? The stories which never get told? The relationships which are always open ended? The dreams which are never fulfilled?

wow... those are deep things, and the ones I've been thinking about lately are the relationships and dreams never fulfilled. She also talks about an "ache"... i've had that often lately.
But I love how she so simply and wonderfully completes it...

In Christ All things will be made new.

That is the only place where I'll truly be fulfilled in every single way, which completely explains why I feel the things I do, even though it's a hard answer.
You should read it if you haven't... it's really good.
So, Jan, if you ever run across this... thanks for such great words!