A little ramble about music...

So I've had some thoughts rattling around in my head for the past week and thought I'd share them. There are some secular (as in they don't mention God) songs that I've found incredibly emotionally moving recently. Songs that are incredibly relevant to my life. One song in particular I've heard a lot of people say that this song has gotten them through so many tough times. And I was thinking, that’s like God speaking though music, reassuring people of His love, though they don't yet know that. See, it’s all a matter of perspective.

Since I know that it's God speaking through these songs, I can go to the source and directly thank God for speaking to me. When people don't realize this, they can false attribute the song or the songwriter only for getting them through depression.

As I look through my Top 25 most played songs on iTunes, half of them are Christian. The ones that really fulfill me are the Christian songs, because they point towards God. Now I totally belive God can use secular songs to teach us things about him. But there is something about songs that quote the source of our strength and point directly to God that pulls me through much better than songs only talking about earthly love.

In the end, I’m thankful to God for speaking through all songs—secular or Christian. I'm so grateful that he inspires musicians to write His truth.

So, any thoughts or reactions? I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on this!

Putting God In A Box?

So my university had an awesome meeting centered around this thought: Do we put God in a box? Seriously, we often limit what we think God can do based on our preconceptions of who he is. This is the God who shut lions' mouths, raised people from the dead, and spoke to storms. We read about all these stories in the Bible, and we think God can't work that way now.

I left the meeting feeling challenged. In my life, I want God to suprise me and shock me. I don't want to limit what he can do. I want to be able to expect miracles to happen. The meeting ended with a couple of the leaders speaking words of encouragement over specific people. That night, I prayed to God and asked him to give me words of encouragement for the people around me. And he did. He told me, "Love them unconditionally. Reaffirm their worth in me." It's intimidating for me to actually speak words God has given me to people. So right now, I'm trying to do that through my actions. I pray God will give courage to speak those words aloud.

Another letter to God...

"In the quiet, in the stillness of your presence, I am restored...There is none but Jesus." - Hillsong, None But Jesus

It had been a while since my last devotion. So I really wanted to spend time with the Lord. I ended up writing a letter in my journal to Him. Here's the end result:

Jesus, you are my sole focus, my one desire. There is no one else for me. I want to know you deeply. Let my life be a song of praise to you. I want to do your will more than anything. You give me so much hope, Lord. You show me what it means to have joy. You show me your compassion, your grace, and your unending love. Let my life be a reflection of you.
I love you so much. Thank you for showing me what it means to be your child. I feel like a little child, dancing and jumping about. Peering over the edge with you is where I want to be (Amanda Falk, Symphony). Lord, you are so faithful. You've provided me with friends this past year. You gave me wonderful opportunities to be a friend to others. And you are continually giving me opportunities that challenge, cause me to face my fear, and step out in faith.
Life with you is never boring. In spite of my fears, worries, and insecurities, you are constantly giving me reason to hope and be optimistic for the future. Never mind the times when I've felt let down or alone, you are always there. Your goodness overwhelms me. It captivates me. I may not know where I'm going but you do! I know that if I trust in You, You will never let me down!

Wordle.

I was just playing around on wordle.net and came up with this. It's based on how the Lord sees us.

Letter to God

Today I thought I'd write a letter to God. Here it is:

Hello Lord! I just wanted to tell you that You are so awesome! I love you so much! You truly work all things together according to your good purpose! You fill my heart with joy, and I'm so thankful that you love me. Thank you for always being there for me and for never leaving me. Every good and perfect gift is from you.

Give me strength to walk in Your presence every single day, Father. I want to continue to nourish closeness with you. Help me not forget your abiding love and grace. When I'm tired and irritable, let my thoughts draw close to You. Help me treat others the same way you treat me. You are my refuge and strength, Lord. I trust in you whole-heartedly

A page from my journal.

Here's what I wrote in my journal. I thought I'd share it all with you.

"Sometimes there are moments when I doubt myself. I'm unsure of who I am, and I think the worst about myself. But I need to ask myself, "Do you doubt your Creator?" When I question my worth, I question my Creator. In the Psalms, it says, "You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." This verse speaks to the value we have as human beings. It shows us we are so precious in our Father's sight. No matter what we're feeling, God still adores us and think highly of us.

It's hard sometimes to believe that. I often struggle making the connection between how God sees me and how I see myself. But deep down inside, if I dig deep enough, I eventually come to the realization of my worth in Christ. After all, He sees me as a treasure and a jewel. So why shouldn't I see myself that way?

From now on, I'm not going to be looking back at my life with despair and guilt. I'm going to be looking at myself, claiming that I am a beloved, treasured, valued daughter of God."

Impure thoughts...

So I was contemplating this week about the purity of my thoughts. It's not something I think about much, but I think it is an important topic to discuss. So many times, I've started thinking one thing, and then before I know it, my thoughts drift toward fleshly desires, or sins such as greed, envy, or selfishness. I'm reminded of the passage in the Bible to "take every thought captive" and subdue it to Christ. It is something I need to be on careful guard against. As well, I know that what I watch or listen to affects my thoughts positively or negatively. If I watch a tv show based around materialism, selfishness, or sexual immorality, then that is what I will think about. However, if I am constantly listening to worship music or watching uplifting movies or tv shows, I tend to think impure thoughts less. It's not necessarily the initial thought that's wrong, but the obsession it can lead to if it gets too out of hand.

I wanted to write this today to encourage you to take a stand against a lustful or selfish thoughts and bring them before the Lord! He is able to cleanse and renew us day by day.