Satisfied at the Fountain of Living Water ~ by Stephani

Imagine if we embarked on a journey for an entire month without taking any water. By the end of the trip our clothes would be begging for a wash, bodies aching to be cleansed, teeth longing for a scrub, and tongues craving a drink. Nothing would be able to satisfy our longings except water!

If at the end of the journey there was a fork in the road, one way directing us to a fountain and the other to a dessert land, how foolish we would be to turn into the dessert, hoping to be refreshed!

God led his people, the Israelites, to this fork in the road again and again in the Old Testament. When he called his thirsty people out of Egyptian slavery, he invited them into fellowship with him – the Fountain of Living Water. Sadly, as they wandered in the wilderness, they grumbled and complained instead of trusted. After entering the Promised Land, they forgot the Lord and sought pleasure in sin rather than in keeping God’s good commands. As they settled in the land, they looked around and decided they wanted a king “like the nations around them” instead of rejoicing in the leadership of the Lord. In their weakness, neediness, anxieties, and sorrows, they turned to everything and anything… except the Lord.

In Jeremiah 2:12-13, Jeremiah recorded God’s words concerning the Israelites’ foolishness:

“Be appalled, O heavens, at this;

be shocked, be utterly desolate,

declares the LORD,

for my people have committed two evils;

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed out cisterns for themselves,

broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Instead of going to God when they were thirsty and weak, they decided to walk into the desert to dig cisterns (large holding containers for water). However what they didn’t realize was that their efforts were like broken cisterns. They held no water.

I have been thirsty like the Israelites. Although I haven’t had to wander in the wilderness, establish a nation in a new land, or organize a government, I have been dry, weak, and needy.

What does it look like to find SATISFACTION in God when we are THIRSTY?

If you have been brought into a relationship with the Father by trusting in the death and resurrection of Christ for your sins, then you have been invited into FULLNESS of life in Jesus! In the Bible God reveals to us who he is so that we can trust in him to completely satisfy us.  

Below are a few examples of “thirst” we may feel in our lives. Following each example are Bible verses that reveal how God is able to satisfy that thirst.

-         
Loneliness – Have there been seasons in your life when you have had no friends? No one to talk to, laugh with, serve alongside, or seek counsel from?

Come to HIM and drink "…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10 (The Lord is ALWAYS with his children and he is our strong Helper and faithful Friend.)

-        
Sinfulness – When we disobey God’s commands and walk in our own way instead of his, feelings of sorrow, guilt, and shame can fill our hearts and tempt us to try and hide instead of turning to him.

Come to HIM and drink "...if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins…" 1 John 1:9, 2:1b-2a (Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross paid for believers’ sins once-and-for-all. His love is steadfast and when his children come to repent, he hears and restores.)

-        
Suffering – When sickness, disability, death, pain, and loss lead us into grief and confusion, it can be easy to think we’ve been abandoned by the Lord.

A Satisfying Drink - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…" (Romans 8:28) "…according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…" Ephesians 1:11b (The Lord is directing everything according to his plans and nothing is outside of his control. He is working all things for the good of those who love him.)

-        
Responsibilities – Have there been days when homework assignments, chores, and projects piled up so high that you felt you just wanted to give up?

Come to HIM and drink. "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8 (In Christ, you will lack nothing you need to accomplish all that the Lord calls you to.)

-        
Disappointment – When our desires are pushed aside and we are forced to accept an outcome that is very different than the one we were hoping for, disappointment and sorrow can leave us feeling overlooked.

Come to HIM and drink. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

Romans 8:31-32 (God never overlooks his children. He withholds nothing that is really good and we can trust that all good things will be ours one day with him.)

Our weaknesses remind us that we are thirsty and we were not created to be satisfied in ourselves. We were created to be SATISFIED in who God is for us in Christ.

Every day we encounter forks in the road. We can turn toward broken desert cisterns or to the Fountain of Living Water. One path leads to greater thirst. The other path leads to satisfaction and fullness of life. Are you thirsty right now? Go to the Bible, trust that God is who he says he is, and DRINK DEEPLY as you find satisfaction in the Lord.

Living in Moment-by-Moment Obedience ~ by Elizabeth

When I think of moment-by-moment obedience, wholehearted surrender comes to mind. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" Matthew 16:24-25

Another thought comes to mind, my exchanged life with Christ. Instead of controlling MY life, HIS life is living in and through me. "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

Living in obedience to Jesus entails having a listening and quiet heart before the Lord throughout the moments of each day, with a readiness to say "Yes, Lord" to whatever He asks of you! Many times for me a quiet heart means turning away from distractions, casting my burdens on HIM and giving Jesus my undivided devotion.

I love the quote, "God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will..."

Here are a few thoughts that have been helpful to me along the way:

~ Every decision made in obedience to Jesus matters even when it feels little. Obedience always opens the door for more joy and a closer relationship with Him. Disobedience always fills me with guilt and my fellowship with HIM is hindered.

~ When He is asking me to obey, it helps me to remember that Jesus knows what is best for my life and I do not. He is completely trustworthy in each moment of decision. 

~ Obedience does not fit into a nicely neat package. Sometimes a decision to obey comes up quickly or unexpectedly. Each day there are new opportunities to say "Yes Lord."

~ Living here on earth is not about me, my comfort, or the applause of man, but it is about bringing glory to Jesus in all that I do and advancing HIS kingdom here on earth!

~ Jesus has brought me into this world "for such a time as this". He has purposes specifically for me to fulfill.

I am reminded how Jesus related to HIS Father in submission and obedience in these passages: 

"For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak." John 12:49

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:9-11

Obedience to Jesus brings me unspeakable joy, HIS peace, the fear of God, a sense of HIS great love and that I am fulfilling HIS purposes for my life. 

I love these verse's from John 17:4-5 where Jesus expresses to his Father that He has accomplished all He was asked to do. How I want this to be true in my life!

"I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father,glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed." 
 

Together may we take seriously the moments of each day, knowing they count for eternity and the glory of HIS name. What a incredible gift to walk with Jesus in HIS presence moment by moment!

Always a Reason to Rejoice ~ by Amy Vest

"Rejoice in the LORD always." ~ Philippians 4:4

What are you rejoicing in today?

As we approach Thanksgiving, our hearts are reminded to give thanks for all of God's blessings to us. This brings a sweet sense of God's provision as our Source and gratitude for all He has given.

It seems that rejoicing takes us a step deeper - from gratitude TO the Source for His gifts, to joy IN the Source - the Lord - as the Source of all true joy.

Rejoice means, "to feel or show that you are very happy about something, to give joy to, to feel joy or great delight."

I was thinking on Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the LORD always..." recently and noticed it calls us, yes, to rejoice, but that we are to rejoice in THE LORD.

We always have a reason to rejoice in Him - because He is always good.

He is:
Redemption for our souls

Hope our hearts need

Love our hearts crave

Peace that calms our souls

Joy that never ends

...and the list goes on and on.

Things, circumstances, and people all change, but Jesus never changes. These other things can be gifts that cause us to rejoice in the Giver, but He alone unchangingly satisfies.

We can even rejoice through hard trials, not because we like the trials themselves, but because we know and trust that the One Who is Love has a purpose that is much deeper. This purpose includes us coming to know Him more through everything we face in life and, as a result, rejoice more in Him!

Friends, we can rejoice in our Lord always - for He is forever good.

"Rejoice in the LORD always, I will say it again, rejoice." ~ Philippians 4:4

Will you allow Him to be your source of joy today?

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Video Post ~ The Impact of a Life that is Beautiful to God ~ with Amy Vest

Session 8 ~ "The Impact of a Life that is Beautiful to God" from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.
Close your eyes. Think of yourself 5 years from now. Now try 10 years. How about 50? Now really stop, be still, and think of yourself in eternity. What will really matter then? All that will matter is your relationship with the Lord and secondly the souls of people...

We each have one life – a short blip on the radar of eternity – and the results of what takes place in that blip will last for eternity...

As you receive the Lord’s grace to pursue Him above all else, know His heart, let Him work in you, and be a surrendered vessel for Him to pour out His life – you will experience the reality that He fully satisfies, He is glorified, and people are blessed in a way that ripples through eternity.

Please visit our website www.lovingthelordministries.org for handouts and study questions for this session!

Connecting the Dots ~ by Pam

Do you remember when you were young, and you got those big books with numbers on the pages with dots? You could not tell what the picture was until you connected all the dots. Our lives are like that. Sometimes we are unable to see the whole picture of God's plan for us. 

I want to connect the dots of God's grace. Eph. 2:1-9; "And you He has made alive who were dead in trespasses and in sins. In times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. But God Who is rich in mercy for His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ... For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works lest anyone should boast." As one not coming from a Christian home, the fact that Christ reached down and saved me plays such an important role in my desire to disciple other women.

A few months ago I attended the funeral in Mississippi of a dear friend of mine. Mr. Crawford was a godly man, and his whole family has been like family to me over the years. As I sat in the funeral service The Lord began to do a wonderful thing for me. He began to connect the dots in my life. I looked around the room and saw so many people who were involved in my life and who affected my life for Christ.

I Cor.5:20; "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we beg you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God." The granddaughter spoke at the funeral and shared that her grandfather always prayed that the next generation would know Christ. That struck a cord with me that day. This godly man had a child who became my best friend in my younger days. He was burdened for my soul. Mr. Crawford's child was being used to change my life forever.

I was converted and had two sons who are now serving the Lord (connecting the dots!). My sons have been all over the world affecting the next generation, spreading the Gospel. All these events the Lord did in my life were connecting the dots. But one last big dot connects. Our family has a ministry and our passion, my passion, is to affect the next generation for Christ... Psalm 78:4; "We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works which He has done." The dots were connected. I saw the bigger picture; to be part of affecting the next generation.

Practical Ways to Grow in Loving the Lord ~ by Amy Vest

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to: “…love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

Here are some practical ways to grow in loving the Lord:

~Make Him and loving Him your #1 priority and focus – in every area of life! Start your day with Him and keep Him as most important in all details of your day. Something that has really helped me is the moment that I wake up (or am coming into consciousness) to turn my heart to the Lord and tell Him good morning and that I love Him. Then I roll out of bed and land on my knees. It starts your day out right and sets a good patter for the rest of the day!

~Daily spend time with Him. Remember that your walk with the Lord is a relationship! It takes time and energy to deepen a relationship. Your personal time with the Lord is a critical key to growing in your relationship with the Lord. Remember that He is real and is right there with you when you are having your personal time with Him! If you have not been faithful in your personal time with the Lord, you can start today! The Lord is waiting for you with open arms.

~Read the Bible daily. It is your spiritual food and without it your spiritual life will begin to starve! Through the Bible you come to know the Lord better and know how He wants you to live. It is the Lord’s letter to you. Read it carefully, He has lots to show you! It has the answer to every question and is the final authority for our lives.

~Prayer is so important. It is so vital that your talk with someone that you want to get to know better! Share your heart with the Lord, praise Him for Who He is, confess and ask forgiveness for anything that He show you in your life that is not pleasing to Him, ask for His help to obey, and listen to what He wants to say to you. Seek to really come into His presence with your heart prepared to meet with Him.

~Walk with Him throughout the day. Remember that the Lord is always with you and that walking with Him does not just end when you leave your quiet time! Walk through your days with the Lord. You can always talk with Him.

~Carefully choose things that will help you in your walk with the Lord and not pull you down. What you watch, listen to, enjoy, etc. will make up who you are and directly impact your relationship with the Lord. Don’t take your choices lightly! What I always like to ask myself about things I am considering watching, reading, listening to, enjoying, etc. is, “Will this draw me closer to the Lord or distract/pull me away from Him?” If it does not seem definitely one way or the other, it usually means that is would be a good idea to pass on it. (Those things only waste time and really can be a distraction from what is good.) It is good to hold things up to the light of God’s Word and see if they match up with what He says is right. (For example, try Phil. 4:8-9.) We really should just fill our lives with what the Lord says is right.

~Time. You can use your time in ways that will either encourage you in the Lord, waste your time, or do damage. Your time is so valuable and the way that you use it shapes your life. Spend it on the Lord, what He says is right, and what will last for eternity.

~Friends. The friends that you have will drastically impact who you are and become. Choose them so carefully! Allow the Lord to be your best friend and choose friends who will encourage you in the Lord (instead of encouraging you towards TV, excessive outward focus, wrong attitudes, boys, etc.).

~ Church. Become involved in a church where Jesus is glorified and the Word of God is preached. This can be powerfully used by the Lord to grow us in knowing, loving, and becoming like Jesus.

~Fellowship. It is so important that we spend time with people who are seeking for the Lord and will help us on in our walk with the Lord! If you do not have regular contact with other like-minded girls, you might want to think about starting a Bible study.* This can give you encouragement in seeking the Lord as you have fellowship with other girls who are desiring to follow Him.

~Ministry. It is so important that once you find true satisfaction in the Lord, you pass it on to others. There are so many opportunities to share the Lord and serve Him! Some things that you can do include: Serve at home, encourage siblings, younger children, friends, etc. in the Lord (share about what the Lord has been doing in your heart, memorize Bible verses together, study the Bible together, etc.), help out at church, and start a discipleship group/Bible study for younger girls. (For free study material, you can visit www.lovingthelordministries.org)

~Get a vision from the Lord for your life! When your focus is on Him alone, you will not have other things clouding your vision to see clearly what the Lord has for you. Don’t waste your life with a clouded vision. God has great things in store for you! If you will seek Him and live to love Him with all of your heart, He will give you a vision for your life that is beyond your wildest dreams right now.

~Allow Him to work in your life and make Himself real to you. Never stop the Lord from working in you! It may not always be the most comfortable, but it is always for your best! Seek to know the Lord in deeper ways each day through your personal time with Him, reading your Bible and other books that will help you grow in the Lord, etc.).

~Accountability. I would so strongly encourage you to find someone to hold you accountable for seeking and loving the Lord! It will help you stay on track more than you could ever imagine!

The more that you come to know the Lord, the more you will see how wonderful He is. As a result, you will more naturally tend to love Him. Remember that loving the Lord and knowing Him is the greatest thing in the world and the only place that you will find true fulfillment! He loves you so incredibly much! Seek to love Him with all of your heart –You will never regret it!

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” ~ Philippians 1:6

An Honest Walk of Love with Jesus ~ by Amy Vest

I was on a little walk in the crisp autumn air. As I walked, Jesus and I talked. I poured out my heart honestly before Him, and He spoke to my heart as only He can. Then, I looked down to see a heart shaped leaf in my path.

This walk was such a reminder that the Lord wants to hear us share our hearts honestly with Him, to speak His Truth to our hearts, and to show us that He is intimately involved in our lives. 

I am so grateful that we were created to, and can, share every step of this walk of life with Jesus. I know that the path He has is a path paved with His love.

"All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies." Psalm 25:10 

The Lord wants us to live in an honest, humble, and close walk of love with Him every moment, friends.

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

He is inviting you to walk with Him in this way. Will you respond and take a step? 

"Intentionally Building Your Life Around Deepening Your Relationship with Christ" ~ by Rachel

There is a thought that is easy to forget about in the busyness of everyday life. But it’s one that, by the grace of God, will change your everyday life if you think about it. It changed mine.

“At the end of my life, when I stand before the throne of God… what will really matter?”

I often think about what it will be like to be in my Savior’s presence, worshipping before His throne, enjoying the glory of sinless perfection. And I wonder; what I will think of that short, vapor of a life that I lived?

Christ’s love for me will be unconditionally perfect. But I want to have lived a life that was pleasing and fruitful for Him. I want to have been walking in the good works He prepared for me to do (Eph 2:10).

1 Corinthians tells us that our works as Christians will be tested by fire on that final day:

“Each one's work will become manifest... and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved...”

- 1 Corinthians 3:13-15

Will my life’s work survive the fire, or will it be burned up? This is an important question for us to ponder. I want to hear my Savior say, “well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23).

So as young ladies, we must ask ourselves, are we living deliberate lives for the glory of God, or are our lives slipping away, day by day, lost in the busyness? Are we living in light of eternity?

Some ideas for building our lives around deepening our relationship with Christ:

~ Daily Bible Reading and Prayer

We cannot overestimate the importance of spending time in God’s Word. Sometimes I get so busy that I decide to skip on my devotions. How wrong! Someone once said, “I have so much to do today, that I will spend the first three hours in prayer.” This is the attitude we must have. I so easily forget that unless the Lord is empowering me to do His work for His glory, all of my “busyness” is worthless (Ps 127:1). Jesus was our example in this, in that even though He was busy about the work of His Father, he rose early to pray (Mark 1:35).

~ Feeding Ourselves Spiritually

People who are in love spend all their energy figuring out what the other person likes. It’s amazing how much energy they will put into it! Everything from the other person’s favorite color to their favorite movie is of utmost interest. They want to know their entire history, and what makes them the person that they are. Why is this? Because people in love want to please the other person... because they really care.

Do we want to please Jesus? If we truly care, we will study Him. We will have a passion to know who He is, and what will please Him. We cannot love a person we don’t know, and we can’t please them if we don’t know what they like. In the same way, we cannot love a Savior we don’t know, and we can’t please Him if we don’t know what He desires. Learning to love Christ is a lifelong adventure!

One of the things we can do to grow in our spiritual understanding is to read good books. Read books that teach you more about Christ. Read about the lives of saints who have gone before and whose lives inspire you to follow in their godly footsteps. Supplement your Bible reading with books that encourage you spiritually and books that help you to understand the Bible.

“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.”

~ C.H. Spurgeon

~ Seeking Wise Counsel

Seek wise counsel from godly older people in your life, who know you well, and ask them what they think you should prioritize in your life. Especially heed the advice of your parents. Ask them how you can intentionally build your life around strengthening your relationship with Christ, and what they wish they had done when they were your age. I have gleaned so much wisdom from hearing what other ladies wished they would have done at my age, and how they could have grown more spiritually, when they were in my stage of life. They have that hind-sight that is 20-20 (Prov 15:22).

One other thing you can do is ask them ways that they think you should grow, personally. These can be character weaknesses, or practical things to learn and grow in (like writing or cooking). This one can be hard, and it takes a lot of humility. It’s easy to gloss over our “rough spots” in our own minds, but other people tend to be more honest. Pray that the Lord would give you the grace to be humble, and ask your parents and siblings where they think you could grow. Take notes. You may not agree with them, but don’t argue, just thank them for sharing, and pray over those things. Oftentimes, our parents, siblings, and friends can see the blind spots in our lives, or help us define our priorities.

This has been such an important part of my spiritual growth over the years. There have been so many areas that I would have never thought I needed to work on, had I not asked others who know my weaknesses better than I do. I was quite surprised at some of the things they said at first, but as time has gone on, I’ve seen how right they were (Prov. 12:15).

My Story:

I remember the moment vividly. I was woefully pondering my lack of spiritual growth in the past few years, and how I wished I could be spending more time reading. I desperately wanted to be learning more about the God I served, and how He wanted me to live. Why didn't I have the time? I was actually feeling quite sorry for myself, pitying the fact that I had to be so busy. Racking my brain, I tried to think of time that I might not realize I had... some spare moments I could use for reading. Suddenly, conviction swept over me as I realized that I did have the time, I just wasn't utilizing it properly. With a blush, I thought about how much time I was spending every day listening to music. I quickly thought back through the weeks, adding up the hours I was spending on a regular basis - about 2 hours a day which made for a whopping 14 hours a week, or 60+ hours a month. Ouch. (I've realized since then that because it takes me about 30 minutes to read 25 pages, I could have read about 75 books in a year's time had I been using that time wisely.) It was easy for me to listen to music because I did that whenever I had busy work: while driving, doing housework, or getting ready for the day. “What if…” I thought to myself. “What if I could take those hours and listen to sermons or audio books instead of music?” I soon filled my iPod with sermons Bible teachers, and audiobooks from deep, Biblical authors. Not to be cliché or anything, but my life has never been the same again. Since then, I have incorporated more ideas into those hours- prayer, scripture memorization, and listening to the Bible - but that initial choice was what started the whole thing. Within only a few weeks my spiritual growth skyrocketed and my interests grew exponentially. It wasn't surprising really. How could I expect to be growing when I wasn't feeding myself spiritually? So I challenge you... What time can you redeem? The days are evil, and we cannot afford to waste time on things that will not help us become better soldiers for our Lord (Eph 5:16). I hope you will pray about where you can redeem the time, and perhaps, today is the day you will look back on, as the day you made a small choice with no small consequences.

Video Post ~ "He has made everything beautiful in its time"

Be encouraged today, friend! The Lord is working in the season you are in to bring you more of Himself, His work in you, His will for you, and His witness through you!  {Jer. 29:11}

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."  Ecclesiastes 3:11

This reality shared in this video has only grown deeper and more precious to me over the past months since it was recorded...I continue to see that Jesus "has done all things well"!  Mark 7:37

He knows just what "season" we need and can be fully trusted!  There is nothing like lying surrendered in the hands of the One Who is Love.

I am praying for you today - That you will rest in the hands of the One Who loves you!

His way is perfect,
Amy

{A side note - It is not snowing now, but when it does, I know it will be His perfect season for it. :)}

Post

Jesus is at Work in Everything ~ by Amy Vest

Dear Friend,


Jesus is at work in everything ~
to give you more of Himself (Phil. 3:7-10)
work the character of Jesus in you (Rom. 8:29)
and pour His life through you (2 Cor. 2:14)
~ for His glory, your joy, others' blessing.

{I encourage you to pause for a moment and let this reality really sink in.}
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Rom 8:28

When I really embrace this Truth, it makes me want to embrace every moment of my life in surrendered longing for the Lord to have His way in me.

"...not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42

Life takes on a beautiful purpose ~ the happy times, the trials, the waiting ~ all present the opportunity to:
know my Jesus
become like Him
be prepared and used by Him for His glory.

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Phil. 2:13

This reality is bringing me so much joy today.

I sit on my bed, needing to rest instead of taking part in an activity that was planned for today.  In this resting, He is giving me more of His heart, working deeper surrender, and preparing me for something I don't fully see yet.

And the more I receive of Him, the more I know that all I want is Him, His will, and what He wants to give me.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Jer. 29:11

May the Lord give you beautiful rest in this reality today, dear Sister!

Grateful to be in His hands together,
Amy Vest

The Joy of Surrender ~ by Tara

Matthew 16:24-25 says, “Then Jesus told his disciples, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Throughout my life God has brought many opportunities for me to grow in the area of surrender and I thought I would share a few of them with you.

When I was 7 years old, I underwent heart surgery. My mother has shared with me that when they were wheeling me into the operating room, I said, “God’s going to take care of me.” I was surrendering to what God wanted for my life and I knew he was in complete control. At an early age, I was beginning to understand what a heart of surrender looked like.

As a young lady the Lord continued to teach me surrender as I had many opportunities to be obedient to the choices Dad and Mom made for me. (e.g. what I would wear, what music I would listen to, who my friends would be, what functions I would attend.) I also had several instances in this season where I was faced with trials of various types. In these times I had to make a conscience decision to surrender and forgive the other individual who had wronged me, even in times where my counselors agreed I was not at fault.

Then there was a season of my life where I desperately wanted to be married. I would cry myself to sleep at night on occasion and cry out to the Lord often for a husband. In my early twenties there was a young man interested in me. I liked him and he liked me, but there were several areas where we just didn’t see eye to eye and there was enough of a difference that my parents and I felt we would not be equally yoked. I would have to say that going through that experience was probably the greatest struggle and test of surrender that I had known up to that point. I desperately wanted to get married and to start a family.

About one year after that relationship ended, the Lord saw fit for me to meet my future husband Stephen! On the flight home from one of our initial visits, I believed that he was not interested in me as I had hoped he would be. (Little did I know, the truth was completely the opposite and he was actually planning on calling my father in two weeks!) I remember sitting on the airplane and praying, “Lord, obviously he is not interested in me in that way, so I thank you for the friendship you have given me with him and his family, but I see this chapter has ended and the door has been closed. I am excited to see what you have for me in the future, Lord.” It was at that moment I came to the point of a deeper understanding of what surrender really meant.

Little did I know that the next season of my life would involve a complete crash course on surrender.

I became a wife and mother in my mid twenties. Although being a wife involves some aspects of surrender, (waking up early and fixing breakfast for your husband, packing him a lunch and being cheerful and attentive to him in the evenings) the birth of our first child brought me to a whole new level of understanding. Motherhood has called me to daily surrender to a full life of sacrifice, hard work, and serving others. Now I’m not just getting up early in the morning, but really early in the morning, 2 A.M. 5 A.M. and 8:00 A.M., as I care for little ones who need me. I daily choose to surrender my life, my time, my energy as I repeat the tasks of motherhood over and over again. It’s not only for a day, a week, a month or even a year but Lord willing for the next 20-30 years.

Then there is my time. I don’t wake up anymore in the morning thinking, “What would I like to do today? Hmmm?” I wake up each morning and immediately think “what do I need to do to take care of my husband and little ones today? What should my family have for breakfast this morning? What would be the most nutritious foods that will fuel and nourish them for their start to the day?”

What I’m endeavoring to communicate with you is that we are called to a LIFE of surrender. Daily surrender. Moment by moment surrender.

Many of the things I’ve shared today come from the vantage point of my life as a young wife and mother. I recognize that not all of you reading this are in the same season of life as I am. I hope that my testimony will challenge you and cause you to wrestle with the reality of what God has called you to, whatever the situation.

Here is my challenge:
The more you allow the Lord to develop and teach you surrender in the season of life you are in right now, the more prepared and equipped you will be for the next season of your life. A life of surrender is difficult and it’s not what our flesh wants, but remember what Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-25? “Then Jesus told
his disciples, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” I have truly “found my life” so to speak. Yes, my days are filled with moment by moment surrender, but I feel so satisfied and my life is so full of joy and meaning in the midst of such surrender.

I know surrender in a way today that I did not know 10 years ago and I know that

I’ll know it in an even deeper way 10 years from now. God is so faithful to his children to continually bring us into life circumstances that cause us to fall on our knees and have no other alternative then to surrender our very lives to him!

Lose your life today and God says, you will FIND IT!

Don't Waste Your Youth - Videocast - with Amy Vest

Loving the Lord Videocast #6 - Don't Waste Your Youth from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.
Youth is a precious and amazing time full of great potential and opportunity. The Lord calls us spend it correctly and lay a solid foundation for the rest of our life. 1 Timothy 4:12 tells us, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
If we do this, we will be amazed at what He will do – in us and through us! We are exciting to look at this together in this video! May the Lord bless you as you seek Him and seek to live your youth to the fullest for His glory!

For more information, you can visit the LTLM website (www.lovingthelordministries.org) and blog (www.lovingthelord.org)!