They Shall Be White as Snow

"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
-Isaiah 1:18

Maybe the reason people get so excited about the snow is because it is a beautiful picture of our God.  Most obviously, it is white and beautiful.  The bible tells us that our sins make us like crimson, but because of Christ's sacrifice we can be made as white as snow.  Second, it is so gentle and beautiful while at the same time it can be dangerous.  It also can cause people to stop their plans.  God's presence calls us to stop and admire, praise, worship, and love Him.  All too often we don't stop because we don't recognize Him.  I admit to being guilty as well. God demands our worship, and our attention.  There is nothing greater than being at His feet and there is no higher calling than to be His servant.  Instead of going along with my day as God's presence calls to me, I will stop and acknowledge His greatness.  Let the wonder, gentility, and strength of the snow be a reminder of our wonderful Lord.

My Precious Victor Jesus

How many times was I told to keep my eyes ahead when I run?  So why am I looking around now, when the prize is so much greater than coming in first?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1

I so often look around the world on my own to find things.  I look for provision, happiness, a husband, satisfaction.  There is nothing more important at this time than simply looking ahead and running the race that God has set out for me.  God's arms are stretched out wide in front of me, and I should be sprinting to them.  I should long for my Jesus so much that I can't stand my human body that keeps me from getting to experience Him fully.  Yet I dwell in this body happily and I feel satisfied in my popularity and beauty.  I feel fine just going through my day without even once speaking the most precious name I know.  I feel perfectly okay without speaking the words that could save a life from eternity away from the Father.  I am satisfied with myself when I sing well and make a few people smile.  I should love Jesus so much it makes people confused.  I should be so obsessed with His glory that people wonder what in the world my purpose in life is.  I should long for more of Him so earnestly that there is no mistaking His hold on my life and my heart.  I should be running so fast and so hard for Him that the things that may be important and impressive and satisfactory to the world are only a blur in my peripheral vision because I am running so fast and so focused toward my precious victor Jesus.

The Lost Son

When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servant have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' So he got up and went to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
-- Luke 15:17-20

So many people don't understand that there is no 'good enough' for God.  We can never be good enough.  Our lives will never be worth acceptance from God.  Praise the Lord that we are not good enough, because if we could be, why would we need God at all?  Instead, He pursues us while we're still so far from perfection just like in the parable of the lost son.  We don't have to be good enough because when we accept the saving grace of Jesus, his death pays for all of our sins.  The father in the parable has been betrayed by his son.  His son essentially told him that he'd rather have him dead, and he wants his inheritance now.  He then goes and spends it all on immoral things.  When the son decides it would be smarter for him to go back and at least be a servant in his father's home he starts on his way back.  The father sees his from far away.  Without the son ever saying a word his father runs to him without haste.  He was so far away, but his father had been watching and waiting for him.

That is how God feels about each of us.  He is watching and waiting for you to come home, and when he sees you on the very horizon of salvation, He will run to you and take you in as if you have never sinned against him once. How could you refuse a love like that?

Dear World

Dear World,

Thank you for persecuting me and considering me insane.  By trying to hurt me you are only blessing me.  I strive everyday to be more like my Savior.  When you tell me I'm crazy, I know I'm doing something right.  I want to identify with Jesus, and you're only helping me in that.  Don't think you're getting me down by hurting me.  You're only pushing me closer to Jesus, which is exactly where I want to be.

Love,
Katie

And so it goes.

I'm going to miss this.  Home. Music fills the rooms. Laughter and joking. Family.  The sounds of home. My dad sits strumming his guitar, and the television talks to no one in the background.  The crickets chirp in the thick night air.  The feelings of home. Safety and security. Love. Comfortability. Easiness.  I'm going to miss the morning. Waking up to the sounds of my family going about their business downstairs.  I'm going to miss going up to my wonderful mother and resting my head on her shoulder.  I'm going to miss being able to cry to my sister.  I'm going to miss having my brother to beat up.  I'm going to miss the beautiful heart of my wonderful baby sister. I'm going to miss my dad and the way he shows that he cares.

I love you. I'll miss you.

Realizing

I often find myself realizing the goodness of my gracious Savior.  Almost immediately afterward I find myself realizing that I should have made that previous realization much sooner.  Almost immediately after my second realization I have a third realization that I have realized his goodness before.
I always thought this was a bad thing.  I thought that if I was truly in love with my Lord then I would have remembered His goodness from the last time I experienced it.
God's goodness is never-ending.  Not only in time, but in depth and in volume.  My realizations never seem to end only because I'm realizing different levels and degrees and aspects of His goodness.  I'm not forgetting.  God's goodness isn't something you can ever fully comprehend, let alone the first time you realize it.

Jesus

Sometimes I think its all about me.

Ok... A LOT of the time I think its all about me.

Its not.
Its about Jesus.

Not me.
Not you.
Not the President.
Not the environment.
Not the ozone layer.
Not the universe.
Not your family.
Not your friends.
Not your country.
Not your football or basketball team.
Not your school.

Jesus.
End.
Of.
Story.