thankful

thankfulness is the key to joy.

and today
i am thankful for

> a cool morning, accompanied by hot tea. finally.
> a new brother who adores his new wife.
> chelsea and a few more weeks [until she becomes max's roommate].
> God's perfect timing, even when last minute, clearly His doing.
> denver, and always feeling welcome
> colossians

colossians 3.
¹⁵ and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. 
and be thankful.
¹⁶ let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 
with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
¹⁷ and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

sonship

when i am weak, He is strong.
nothing reminds me of this like running.
i hate it.
but i do it.
and it is one of many ways to worship
and God meets our sacrifices
with His strength.
[running] is when i think the most clearly, the most graciously, the most optimistically.
this is when i forgive people, when i pray for people, when i find joy in life -
this abundant life that He has set before me.
this is when i ask for forgiveness and when i ask God to change me.
lately
i've been asking for three things
greater discernment, that i may live a life of holiness because of His Spirit in me.
steadfast obedience, to Him alone.
and a greater capacity to hide His Word in my heart
:: john 15 :: philippians 3 :: romans 8 ::
walking and talking with c last night and also talking with j today
i am reminded that when we pray,
we must pray in Jesus' name, according to His will,
and we must believe that we have what we have asked for if we have asked according to His will and with a pure heart.
believing it is the battle
and our natural tendency is to lose this fight
but in the same way that He draws us to Himself, He gives us the faith to believe Him
if we ask.
ben pasley talks about this in his book [orphan slave son]. i recommend it.
God's heart for his children is as a perfect Father towards His highly imperfect children.
He will discipline and teach, guide and correct.
He delights in spending time with His sons and daughters.
He prizes us and is active in teaching us about Himself. because this is where life is rooted. in our knowledge of Him.
and our knowledge of the freedom and acceptance that we have with Him.
i am praying that you and i and our community will rest in Him because we recognize our complete dependence on His presence, patience, and grace.
may He bless you and keep you.

requesting

two things that i am praying for:
discernment. a greater measure of God's wisdom.
and obedience. a strict unwillingness to do anything apart from Him.

i believe that the essence of a song depends on the heart behind it
rich lyrics are a must
"to those who wait" :: bethany dillon 

You say You’re good to those who wait...

Lord, today You know what i need to do,
but You can do more in my waiting than in my doing I could do....

oh, my soul,
wait upon the Lord
keep your lamp filled with oil
oh, my soul,
be not deceived!
wait for Him
don’t be quick to leave...

i’m waiting on You

john 15 :: psalm 41 :: psalm 5 :: matthew 25

and i think about all that k has said since last july,
that God basically decided for her what she needed
and He placed in front of her things that she likely would not have chosen on her own
she didn't try
He chose
and she accepted
and now, all because of His provision
she has joy
and life
abundantly

bud

:: God moves :: by jeremy riddle

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm

Deep in unsearchable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings, in blessings
In blessings on your head

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain
In His own time
In His own way...


i post lyrics often i'm finding
but i can't help it.
words are the way that God reveals Himself to me
and when someone can so precisely combine rich words with beautiful music
i'm drawn in...and my mind cannot avoid engaging with what lies behind such a pairing.
jeremy riddle borrows these lines
directly from william cowper's 1774 hymn God Moves in a Mysterious Way.
that He does
and His mysterious ways can be trusted.

keep

[keep me abiding in You, that i would bear fruit.]

::full attention:: by jeremy riddle

i fell in love this song a couple of weeks ago
and i was delighted to find it yesterday among a collection of cd's sent to me from st. louis...
the word "abide" triggered distinct memories of 5th street.
morning prayer with some of the dearest friends,
a sweet little girl whose name derives directly from john 15,
worship, conversations, community.
a number of recent, small happenings have directed my attention similarly
jordan and charis' plans for kc,
dietrich bonhoeffer's life and purpose,
brandon and gabe's pictures in ibiza...

::full attention::
  
may Your voice be louder
may Your voice be clearer
than all the others
than all the others

may Your face be dearer
may Your words be sweeter
than all the others
than all the others in my life

please keep my eyes fixed on You
please root my heart so deep in You
keep me abiding, keep me abiding
keep me abiding that i,

that i would bear fruit

may Your your presence be truer
may Your presence be nearer
than all the others
than all the others

and may Your light shine brighter
and may Your love move deeper
than all the others
than all the others in my life

please keep these eyes fixed on You
please root my heart so deep in You
keep me asking, Lord, keep me kneeling
keep me abiding that i,
that i would bear fruit

john 15.1-8
i am the true vine, and my father is the gardener.
he cuts of every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
you are already clean because of the word i have spoken to you.
remain in me and i will remain in you.
no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
i am the vine, you are the branches.
if a man remains in me and i in him, he will bear much fruit. 

apart from Me [tammy] can do nothing.

if anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. this is to my father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.