Tunesday Tuesday.

This song today is an old one. Came up on my iTunes shuffle, and so many of the good ones do, and when I saw the video on YouTube, I knew I just had to share it. Big Daddy Weave came to my church a few years ago, and though my family had heard about WorldVision many many times, it was the testimonies of these guys that actually got my family to adopt a child through them. Mike Weaver, and all of the band are such great, genuine, sincere guys.

Now, Big Daddy Weave, admittedly, isn't my favorite group, but they make good music. (did you see the emphasis on good?) Their rhythms and lyrics so move me to a place of worship that it's hard not to like them. Personally, I just prefer a one man band (or two man, Shane and Shane.) I few days ago a posted another one of BDW's songs at the bottom of my page when talking about Redemption. They just hit on everything! Magnificent God and Jesus Move are two others that I really like.

Anyway, this song is called Overwhelmed. I think my favorite part says:

All that You’ve done is so overwhelming
I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

Often overwhelmed is a bad thing, no? Beth Moore often talks about how she'd like to just sit and be whelmed. But if there's anything I want to be overwhelmed in, please let it be JESUS.

Okay, enough of me talking now, please listen to and WATCH this beautiful video!! :)

All Things Redeemed.

Christ the Redeemer. Redemption. We are redeemed. He is redeeming all things. These are all thoughts that have been on my mind lately and I love when God puts His word with a physical picture to remind us of it! Don't you? His word is living and active and ever present in our lives.

The first definition in the dictionary says:

redeem

/rɪˈdiːm/

1.

 Compensate for the faults or bad aspects of; to do something that compensates for poor past performance or behavior, to atone or make amends for (sin, error, or evil), to save (someone) from sin, error, or evil. 

 

Synonyms: vindicate, save/free from blame, remove guilt from, compensating, qualifying, save, compensate for the defects of, rescue, justify, vindicate.

Now that we've clarified what being redeemed what what redemption is, I can go on. Last week I was able to read the story of Ruth again and I just love the way the writer writes it like a play. He sets it up so perfectly as a drama, setting the way for the kinsman redeemer to come and save Ruth. Just as Christ has been brought into humanity's life story to be our Redeemer. To atone, make amend for our evil, our sin.

This week I've been thinking about how God redeems so much, not just at the start of our walk with Him and he's done, but all throughout our lives, he takes things and makes them new.

For example.

I have these two floral plants on my balcony that I bought when my mom was here and I was so excited to have color and something to look at. If you know me, or have ever worked with me, you know I have a black thumb. I kill plants! I don't know a thing about watering or how much sunlight, or watering (!!) they need. So a week after my parents left, I did too for a trip and I left my plants outside because that's were plants go, right? In the sun? Well, much to my dismay, when it's 90* and sunny and you're not home to water them, you're SUPPOSED to bring them inside, I'm told. So imagine my surprise when I get home and they are all but brown. I ran to the kitchen and dump buckets of water on those plants and watch the next day for blooms.

And were there blooms the next day? No.

But this week, 3 weeks later, with slow watering and a careful eye, both plants have had blooms and I am happy to say my balcony has color again.  God has redeemed, or compensated for poor past performance or behavior, the life of my plants, when I should have brought them in but left them out to almost die in the sun. My poor behavior and knowledge on flowers led to their bad, but God has redeemed it for their good! You guys I was so excited when I realized this connection. 

Did you see my post on Monday about my quick prayer, "Lord redeem this 10x over"? He always has a plan to bring about good, don't you know Romans 8:28! And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

*not my photo, not my blooms. I wish.

 {P.S. There's a really great song by Big Daddy Weave that is called Redeemed that you should check out! Here's the link for it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGAYNKDyIU }

Tunesday Tuesday.

Bethel Music did it again. They came out with a song that I just can't get out of my head. And this time it's contagious. My roommate has started singing it as well. It's called, You Are My One Thing.

Enjoy!

Monday Musings.

This is going to be short. Yesterday I was out walking a LOT farther and longer than I thought I was going to. It was easy to get frustrated, with myself, mind you. Nobody else was to blame for getting off the bus too soon or for not asking precise directions when leaving the church.

So I came up with this quick prayer, and I'm pretty sure other people say it and it's not original, but I just said:

"Lord, please redeem this situation 10 times over."

Just like that, it leaves you open to expect the Lord to come in great ways and redeem and make much of himself. Especially when we make messes of ourselves.

Try it and see if you don't find yourself with less stress and joy!

Tunesday Tuesday.

Happy Tuesday, y'all!! Hope it's beautiful wherever you are. Today I'm throwing it back to sophomore year of college.  Miranda Lambert sure knows how to write them and this one was no exception. 

" ...there's danger in frustration..."

2015: Chasing

As I wrote this title, I can't believe we're already in 2015, and more so, almost done with January.

Last week as I was flying to Guatemala, I filled my phone up with podcasts to last the 18 hour travel day, and the first one I listened to that day was from Jeff and Alyssa Bethke. It's a new one and this particular day they were talking about the new year and goal setting. Everyone's favorite, right?

So Alyssa went on to share about how every year she finds a word to capitalize on and make it her everything, a focus, for that year. For example, this year it was JOY. So many verses talk about rejoicing and we know it is a part of the Christian's character.

I've normally picked out a verse for the year, not that I search my Bible January 1st, but as the days go on I feel like God places something on my heart. So when I heard this idea about a word I wondered if I could find something like that for me.
. . .

In my 2014 end of the year post for I talked about how I don't want this year to look like the last or the one that follows. I want each year to be better than the last. And the only thing that I could think of for this is chasing. Maybe it was influenced by a favorite Bethel Music song, but who can hold that against me? ;)

chase¹

/tʃeɪs/
verb
gerund or present participle: chasing
1) to follow, rapidly in order to catch or overtake, pursue
2) to seek the favor or company of persistently 

I have 1 year left (down to the week) here in Buenos Aires, and I want every day to be spent chasing the only One who matters. Ministry comes second to my time with the Father, because He's the one from whom all blessings flow, afterall. When I see the synonyms or definitions for chasing, I realize that it's active, a present tense thing we do. It's not something for us to sit by and watch happen. We are going after something, whether it's Christ or not. 

I made a goal for myself, and feel free to come back and check me on this, but I looked up all Scriptures with seek, pursue, and follow in it and there was a good variety from both Old and New Testament. We are told to chase peace, love, JESUS. And do it whole-heartedly. 

When I think about how He pursued me in my sin, and continues to chase me when I'm far from Him, I'm overwhelmed by his grace. How can it not evoke a response of anything less than a life of worship to my Savior.

 

Tunesday Tuesday.

I first heard this song a couple of months ago while at the gym, I think, and instantly fell in love with it. Coupled with the fact that Bryan & Katie Torwalt sing it, I think you'll like it too! I sang it live at a retreat this past week and you know that feeling when a song you love comes on the radio? Well that's how I feel when my favorite worship songs are part of a service. Especially since all my services are in Spanish now :)