"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. :)}

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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)!

Bought with a Price ~ by Ashley

“For you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

In the past few months, God has been taking me back to the “basics” of the Gospel - reminding me who I was before He saved me, and how His work on the cross impacts my everyday life.  I have been struck with the fact that I did not choose Jesus.  He was the One who chose me before the foundation of the world, that I might be holy and blameless before Him (John 15:16; Ephesians 1:4).  In love, He predestined me for adoption as His child through Jesus Christ.  In Jesus Christ, I have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of my trespasses.  He lavished me with the riches of His grace, and sealed me with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of my inheritance (Ephesians 1:5-8;14).  

We are chosen.  Predestined.  Redeemed.  Forgiven.  Lavished with grace.  Sealed with the Holy Spirit.  And, my dear sisters, we are bought with a price…the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).  As I spend time reflecting on how much God has done for me, and where my life would be without Him, I cannot help but want to glorify Him in my body and live in a way that pleases Him.  

I fear that for many of us, the idea of “glorifying God in our body” has been reduced to a list of rules,

standards, and guidelines.  We almost view it as a duty, or an obligation, rather than as a delight because of how much He has done for us.  The Lord has been challenging me to really stop and meditate on His great love for me – love that caused Him to give His life on the cross, in order that I might have abundant life.  Jesus Christ has bought us at the cost of His own life.  May it be our greatest joy to give Him back the life we owe in order that He might be in us. 

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." 

~ Zephaniah 3:17

Summer Devotions Pursuit Testimonies!

We have been so blessed to receive the charts from all of you who took part in the Summer Devotions Pursuit this past summer!  Our hearts are so delighted and encouraged to hear the beautiful work that the Lord did in your hearts as you spent time with Him!  He is truly amazing and we are thrilled for how you experienced His goodness. 
 

May the Lord bless you as you continue to seek Him with all of your heart - every day of your lives!

(For those of you who completed the Summer Pursuit and mailed us your charts, your rewards are on their way!)

Here are some of the testimonies of the Lord's work as you spent time with Him this summer:

Thank you for the wonderful challenge, seeking our amazing Lord this summer together taught me so much! ~ Noemie, Ontario

I have so enjoyed participating in Summer Pursuit this summer.  It has encouraged and challenged me to make regular, scheduled, and dedicated time in God’s Word a priority these past few months.  In spending this time in the Bible, I have learned many things about God.  It is critical in life to be constantly fed and nourished in the Bible and to be reminded to always put Jesus first and to pursue Him in everything. This Summer Pursuit has helped me to draw closer to God and reminded me that no matter what time spent memorizing and reading God’s Word is never a waste. ~ Kaylee, MI

I feel so much closer with the Lord!  It was so hard to keep up with it, but I felt the Lord opening my eyes to many things that I did not see before.  It’s been an amazing summer with the Lord.  It’s hard to keep up with reading my Bible in the summer, this pursuit chart helped a ton.  Thank you!  God bless you! ~ Madisen, MN

I’d like to thank you so much for giving me access to this program!  It was hard in the beginning, but now that it’s done I’m so glad I did it!  I’ve grown a lot closer with the Lord this summer!  He has helped me to realize how much I have and how I often take church for granted when several others are being beaten because they love God.  My prayer life has definitely improved, too! ~ Miranda, MN

This Summer Pursuit helped me to persevere at memorizing verses.  I also enjoyed the Bible reading. ~ Celecia, MN

This is what the Lord did in my heart this summer that I will never forget.  When my friend first asked me to do this with her, I said yes.  Later as I looked at the chart I complained to my older sister saying, “What am I going to do for the ten other minutes after I am done reading the Bible?”  Like all older sisters do, she gave advice.  To make a long story short, I started talking to the Lord about it and I found I would get so into things, I would go overtime.  I also stay up later at night than the rest of my family so I read at night.  Now when I look back, I have to apologize to the Lord for complaining.  Now I have decided that even after the chart, I am going to keep reading and spend time with the Lord.  This was a true blessing to me. Thank You, Lord! ~ Kate, MN

The Lord has done great work in my life this summer. ~ Maria, NE

Thank you so much for all that you do for this!  May the Lord bless you all!  This was such an encouragement once again! ~ Rachael, KS

Thank you so very much for having the pursuit each summer.  It is always a blessing to me and my siblings! ~ Sarah, KS

Thank you so much for putting this together!  It was a blessing! ~ Emily, MO

It has been such a great summer focusing on Christ!  Every summer, for my family and I, is busy.  It can be hard to remember personal time with the Lord.  But this summer has been a gift, using my summer as a way to focus on Christ and getting to know Him better!  It was very great to know that my accountability partner was doing this with me so we can learn more about Christ together!  She is a great friend that has really encouraged me this summer.  Now that I have experienced how blessed I was this summer, I am going to continue through the winter!  I am going to remember that, so I can go and tell others what a great summer this was and encourage them to do this as well!  ~ Daisy, MN

I have grown in the Lord through Bible study and reading God’s Word.  I have learned Who Jesus is, His commands and promises.  I have really enjoyed summer pursuit. ~ Meredith, MN

This summer I have felt me wanting to have my devotions in the morning or evening.  I am so thankful for this summer pursuit.  I would be laying in bed at night wanting to read my Bible and before this summer, that definitely wasn’t the case. ~ Grace, MNThank you for the Summer Pursuit.  I want to pursue Jesus every day of my life! ~ Elisabeth, MN

Surrender – A Pathway to Joy ~ by Amy Vest

When Jesus calls us to surrender to Him, He is calling us to joy.

In giving up ourselves and our agenda, we receive more of Him and His best, abundant life.

Jesus tells us,
"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 16:24-15

We do this first at salvation – a once and for all turning from ourselves and sin to follow Jesus as our Lord.  Then it is a daily receiving of His grace in sanctification to grow in living more and more yielded to Him in every moment of our lives.

Surrender is:
letting go of control, yielding, and releasing my all to Jesus,
letting Him be my All and King of my life,
and allowing Him lead me to and do His best in my life.

I see Him bringing me to greater and deeper surrender the longer I walk with Him – which always brings more joy, because it brings more of Jesus!  Surrender can be painful to our self (self doesn’t die easily), but the life that results is far worth it.  It is an emptying of our self and a filling with the transforming life of Jesus.

Surrender is not an option for us as Christians – Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24) Following Jesus in surrender is a life like no other – You don’t want anything else!  When you know His heart, you know that all He calls us to is for our good and His glory.

Jesus only calls us to surrender our life, love, time, possessions, plans, desires, etc. so that He can give us more of Himself and His best.   

It is like Him holding out sparkling gold, when our hands are full of dull mud. 

When we resist surrendering to Jesus, it hinders our fellowship with Him and keeps us from His best.  Every time we surrender to Jesus, it brings us closer to Him.

Even this afternoon, such peaceful joy flooded my soul as I surrendered afresh to my Jesus.

It is saying to the Lord, “You and Your will are better than anything I surrender.” 

It is evidence of trust.  Trust in His heart of love that only allows things for our good and His glory, even if we don't fully understand right now.

I have learned that my life is safest in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus – the One who loved me and gave His life for me.

Jesus knows what is best.
You can trust Him.
Surrender to Jesus always leads to life - a life filled with joy, because it is filled with Jesus.

~ Living for Eternity Videocast - Part 2 ~ with Amy Vest ~

Loving the Lord Videocast #9 - Living for Eternity (part 2 of 2) from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.

We have this short moment in time to invest our lives in knowing Jesus and making Him known. Charles Spurgeon said, “Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.“ Join Amy Vest as we consider this together, discuss what it can look like in our lives, and are encouraged to look to the Lord for how to live our lives for what counts for eternity!

This video is the second part of the “Living for Eternity” videocast. You are welcome to watch this part alone, but if you have not seen Part 1, we encourage you to watch it as well!

Matthew 6:19-21, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

~ Living for Eternity Videocast - Part 1 ~ with Amy Vest ~

Loving the Lord Videocast #8 - Living for Eternity (part 1 of 2) from Loving the Lord Ministries on Vimeo.

We are given life by God and are on this earth for a very short time. All that takes place in this life directly impacts our eternity and the eternities of others.

It can be easy to focus on the “here and now” and what we can see in this life because we live in a world that focuses on this life because they do not know Jesus and don’t have hope of anything past this life! But the Lord calls us to know the deep purpose of living this life for Him and eternity - the life to come!

Join Amy Vest as she takes you to a graveyard as we consider the importance of living our lives in light of eternity!

2 Cor. 4:18, “…We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

~ The Summer Devotions Pursuit 2014 Ends Today ~

Dear Friends,

Today is officially the last day of the Summer Devotions Pursuit 2014!

It was such a joy to seek the Lord with you this summer!  We know that He did amazing things as you met with Him in His Word, prayer, and fellowship - and are excited that this is just the start of all He has in store as you continue to seek Him!

Please be sure to send in your charts by September 7th and we will mail you your reward - on top of the best reward you already received in knowing Jesus better!

We would love to have you continue to seek the Lord with us on the LTLM blog, website, and Facebook page!

May the Lord bless you as you continue to seek Him - there is no one in the world like Jesus and nothing better than walking with Him!

"Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
    his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
    as the spring rains that water the earth."
~ Hosea 6:3

Grateful to love Jesus with you,
Amy Vest

Living with Eternity in Mind ~ by Lianna

What do you live for? The popular media is filled with invitations to live for the moment, with our eyes on our selves. “Just do it”. “Have it your way”. “I’m lovin’ it”. “YOLO” (You Only Live Once). “Life is good, stay awake for it”. “Indulge yourself”. “It’s my money, and I want it now!”… and the list goes on. This perspective is prevalent in the world, but it isn’t new! The parable of the rich man in Luke 12 includes the infamous slogan of a man whom God called a fool - “eat, drink and be merry”! This rich man’s life was centered around his possessions, and around his own pleasure. Sound similar to today’s world?

God calls us to live with a radically different viewpoint from this live-for-the-moment mentality. At first glance, I find it easy to brush those popular slogans aside, dismissing the possibility that their philosophy could actually be reflected in my own life. I know that this life isn’t everything, and that “having it my way” now can bring much heartache later. But does that head knowledge show itself in the words and actions that flow from my heart and daily life? Pondering on the words of Paul to the Corinthians compels me to search my heart more honestly.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

I believe this! But do I live it? This mind fixed on the the things that are not seen should manifest itself in all areas of my life, from mundane daily life to the biggest of decisions and hardest of circumstances. The applications of the call to live in light of eternity are endless! But some that come to mind for examination in my own life…

• Do I invest more time, money, and energy in dressing my outer self, or in renewing my inner self? I do want my “outer self” to represent my God well, but Peter reminds me that God values - in fact, sees as precious - adorning that is not merely external, but that focuses on the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit in the “hidden person of the heart” (1 Peter 3: 3-4).

• What about my time? This one is huge, and of incredible eternal significance. I can let minutes, hours, days, and even years slip by in a wasted heap of fruitless time. Or I can “seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), and learn from the great heroes of the faith who “confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth… desiring a better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11: 13-16).

• Does my response to trying circumstances reflect that my hope is in God, or in this life? David’s hope was in God, and he could say with confidence, “He only is my rock… I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 62:6). In the Corinthians passage above, I see that Paul was able to endure affliction in his life because his gaze was not set on this earth. He knew that the best was yet to come, and that even the worst suffering he might experience on earth would fade to nothing compared to the joy that was to come in God’s presence in heaven.

• Do I view people in light of eternity, remembering that they have an immortal soul? When my eyes are set only on temporal things, I find myself quick to fear men and timid to share the Gospel - or other times, too self-focused to even think about the spiritual state of those around me. “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father…” (Luke 9:26). This is a challenging verse to ponder.

Grace and strength to live in the light of eternity, fixing my attention on what is not seen and on the “eternal weight of glory” that is yet to come, does not come from myself. I need to be reoriented daily - even moment by moment - to the truth about God and His Word, and spend time with those who will encourage me in the faith. God is faithful! He will keep every promise of grace for this life, and of unspeakable joy yet to come. Jesus set the example for us - He saw the joy that was set before Him! “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). 

You are Loved ~ by Amy Vest

Dear Sisters,

Sometimes we just need someone to remind us of this truth:

You are loved.

Let's listen to Jesus:

"...I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." ~ Jeremiah 31:3

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." ~ Zephaniah 3:17

"For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you." ~ Psalm 86:5

"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness."  ~ Psalm 86:15

"'I have loved you,” says the Lord." ~ Malachi 1:2

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." ~ John 3:16

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." ~ 1 John 4:10

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

"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." ~ Gal. 2:20

May your day be blessed beyond measure as you soak in His endless love for you!

Grateful to be loved by our Jesus together,
Amy

Called to So Much More ~ by Bella

"Well done." (Matthew 25:21) 

Aren't those beautiful words? 

For quite a while that has been one of my favorite verses.  It's given me motivation to live to hear those words said when my life is over on earth, and just always.

After my sister passed away a few years back, I've often thought, I have no idea when that might be.  I just want to be ready, whenever it is.  Whether that be tonight, or in 10 years, or in 50 years. 

A few months back I went on a missions trip.  While I was on that trip, I was reminded in such an incredible way how things of this life are just going to fade away soon (1 Jn. 2:15-17), but that which is done for Jesus will last!  It really challenged me to think about where my choices are leading me.

What if        ?

The other day the question What if            ? really hit me.  

What if...today was my last day on earth......this person I'm talking to right now is going to die tonight.....I actually saw Jesus standing right here.....I could see where           (this trial, word, action, etc.) was leading me.....I was the only wholehearted follower of Jesus this person will ever see or meet.....I could see how much my sin lead to and hurts Jesus and others....Would I be different? 

Would I be more careful how I react to things, both good and bad things? Would I seek to please Jesus more? Would I use every moment to glorify Him...never wasting a moment?  How would I act?  Fill in your "what if?", and truly ask yourself, what does my life look like?  Am I pleasing Jesus living my life to the fullest?  I want to be that difference in this world....This life is so so short.  No matter when God calls me home, I don't want to regret anything, feeling I didn't live my life fully for Jesus Christ, or do enough.

So often, things can distract me from pursuing this life. Such as media, friends, clothes and outward appearance etc. We all have different things that keep us from pursuing living this life fully for Jesus and for what really matters and will last.  Our enemy, Satan, will do all he can to make us distracted.

It's so important that we keep Jesus as our focus - and what will really last!

The first step is, needing to realize what those things are that distract us and keep us from pursuing that full life in Jesus!  Ecclesiastes 10 talks all about what will happen when we pursue things of this world, and what will happen if we pursue things of Jesus that will last. "I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him." (Eccl. 3:14) It's incredible! 

God has so much He want's to use you for!  So much He'll do through you if you let Him!  So many incredible blessings that will last forever to those who pursue living for what will last!  "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Rom. 8:6

Those words, "Well done", have probably been the biggest thing that has helped me.  They are simple, but they have been powerful!  One of my favorite quotes is, "Our life is like a dime, you can only spend it once."  Let's spend our lives wisely on things that will last forever! "The world passeth away and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever!"  1 John 2:17 

How?

Amy Carmichael once said, "How can we live life to the fullest for the glory of God?  It's only when our life is all about Jesus!"

When Jesus is truly what our life is all about, He is the One we are going to seek to please, and that is what's going to last, dear sister!

The Fragrance of Christ ~ by Lisa

I walked up to my post office box as I always did – hoping for some “good mail”.  That day, I found a simple, unsigned note that said:

2 Corinthians 2:15

“For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing…” YOU SMELL LIKE JESUS, LISA!

I don’t remember exactly what I did next, but I’m pretty sure that a silly smile spread over my face and then I probably looked around, hoping to spot the anonymous sender….

Two amazing things….

First, I can’t figure out WHY anyone would have written that to me.   The time period in which I received the note were days where I felt that I thought of myself more than I thought of others.

The second amazing thing is that I haven’t forgotten that note.

Fragrance is hard to explain to someone, isn’t it?  You can say things like “it has light flowery notes, with a splash of citrus and overtones of verdant breezes”, but there’s nothing like taking a whiff of the real thing. 

The Fragrance of Christ is like no other. It’s hard to explain, but you know it when you smell it.  You can’t put your finger on just why you love it.  It makes you say “that’s awesome!” or maybe it leaves you speechless, just thinking about it. It’s not overpowering, but it holds you in its grip…. 

A few years ago, a Godly woman I barely knew walked up to me, giving just the right bit of counsel; it was such a timely word.  She had just diffused the fragrance of Christ my way.

A dear single friend of mine so beautifully gives out the “Jesus Fragrance.”  Some call it winsomeness, charm, or charisma…but with my friend, I know it’s pure Jesus.

So…..what does the “Fragrance of Christ” smell like? 

I Corinthians 13: 4-7 says:  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

When we exhibit these things, we are exuding an aroma that is Christ-like and supernatural.  Unbelievers will know something special is “in the air” when they run into it.  The fragrance encourages, inspires, and exhorts our Christian friends, too.

Philippians 2:3-8 give us another idea of what Christ-likeness smells like:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

But now, consider this verse in Ecclesiastes 10:1 --

Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

We also can exude a spiritually “unpleasant odor” if we start walking in the flesh, or neglecting our daily nourishment in the Word.  Before being with a group of people (especially fun-loving sisters in the Lord), I like to stop for a moment, and ask the Lord to control my mouth.   My tongue can sometimes get away from me!  The verse above reminds me that a lovely perfume can go bad when foolishness takes over. 

The next time you get ready for your day, making yourself look and smell nice, consider asking the Lord to make you “smell like Jesus” in a way that points people to Him that day.

Just what does that smell like, you ask?  Well…..it has rich and varied overtones of true, unselfish love….a highly aromatic and clear essence of joy….undertones of peace, coupled with a clean bouquet of humility, graciousness and honor.

It’s hard to describe…. but impossible to ignore.