a little longer - jenn johnson - a must listen

A Little Longer
Jenn Johnson

What can I do for You?
What can I bring to You?
What kind of song would you like me to sing?

'Cause I'll dance a dance for You
Pour out my love to You
What can I do for You beautiful king?

'Cause I... can't thank You enough.
I can't thank You enough

All of the words that I find... and I can't thank You enough.
No matter how I try... I can't thank You enough.
Then I hear You sing to me

"You... don't have to do a thing
Just simply be with me and let those things go
'Cause they can wait another minute

Wait... this moment is too sweet
Would you please stay here with Me
And love on Me a little longer
I'd love to be with you a little longer
'Cause I'm in love with you"

one version says:

you don't have to do a thing. just simply be with me and let the housework go, the kids can wait another minute, wait - this moment is too sweet...

speaks volumes to me about how much Jesus just wants to be in relationship with us. be still and know. don't be a martha doing work work work for him, be a mary at his feet, with him, soaking in and receiving Him.

Good Friday

the thunder crashes in the heavens, and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon, and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, "it is finished!" because he did, one day God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those who trusted him, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will pass away and all our hardship will be finished.

writing taken from beth moore's, so long, insecurity

Spiritual notes

here's the link i talk about below with the quotes from beth moore and betty robison. please watch - it is so good.
http://lifetoday.tv/qt/2010/03/100311.htm


okay, so God has been speaking - i best write it down.

grace is God's gift. grace is also God's empowerment! just think about that. if you are in Christ, you have God's grace!

wake up, o Church.

"God doesn't like our leftovers." - Anne Graham Lotz

we are feeding our thoughts - whatever your thought life is like - you're feeding it.
as a western culture - we are so allergic to the disciplines of the Spirit that we are living in defeat.
get your mind preoccupied with the thoughts of God.
memorize and meditate on scripture. - beth moore paraphrased on lifetoday - can't get the link to work on my mom's computer but you can watch this online - so awesome!!! the whole thing.
the most blessed i am, is when it's just God and me....yes, we are encouraged at church and in the teaching of others, BUT there is nothing like the fellowship with God. - betty robison

May I know the hope to which you have called me, the riches of your glorious inheritance in the saints, and your incomparably great power for us who believe. that power is like the working of your mighty strength which you exerted in Christ when you raised him from the dead and seated him at your right hand in the heavenly realms. ephesians 1:18-20 (changed some of the pronouns to make more personal)

satisfy me Lord in the morning with your unfailing love that i may sing for joy and be glad all my days. psalm 90:14

i've been wasting a lot of time, filling up on chocolate and chips and facebook. praise God for his word - for fellow believers who speak truth and encourage.

you are all i want - you are all i need - everything my heart could hope for - we are longing for the glory of the Lord - cuz we know there's so much more - only you - fill my soul! kim walker, i have found

Insecurity robs us...

insecurity makes us settle. insecurity makes us distracted. insecurity robs our confidence in our rich inheritance from God. insecurity makes us put our gifts on a shelf to gather demonic dust. insecurity disturbs our sleep. insecurity derails our life.

He has enough security for both of us, and for those of us who call Christ Savior. He slipped His own secure Spirit within our simple jars of clay. It is in you to be secure, dear one.

beth moore - so long, insecurity

haiti

please be in prayer, if you haven't already been, for the people in Haiti. lee and i sponsor a child through World Vision there. His name is Makendy and he is about to turn 16. we haven't heard how he is yet, but i think he was far enough from the earthquake to be okay. however, of course the quake still affects him.
i remember reading over a year ago about how a Haitian mother was making mud pies for her children to eat because they had nothing else. there was a tiny bit of nutrients in it, but really? mud pies.
we are so blessed and don't even know it!
also, there was another article about a woman and her one outfit from haiti. i blogged about it i guess a year ago.
so, please pray for Makendy, and all of the other people and the relief workers that are there. my dad is leaving tomorrow to go for 16 days to work in a hospital outside of Port-au-Prince. he is a pharmacist and will be putting in very long hours i'm sure. he is going as part of Samaritan's purse ministries. please pray for his safety and that he'll be the hands and feet of Christ to these suffering people.

till i only dwell in thee

this is a most beautiful song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRW8WV5cFaU


"Hymn" by Brooke Fraser

If to distant lands I scatter
If I sail to farthest seas
Would you find and firm and gather 'til I only dwell in Thee?
If I flee from greenest pastures
Would you leave to look for me?
Forfeit glory to come after
'Til I only dwell in Thee

If my heart has one ambition
If my soul one goal to seek
This my solitary vision 'til I only dwell in Thee
That I only dwell in Thee
'Til I only dwell in Thee

Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. NIV

this is what it's all about.

communion and the gospel

i love you

i forgive you

supper's ready

what wonderful words to hear and to believe from our Lord, Jesus Christ.

(thoughts taken from a speaker i heard last night at church)

of the Father's love begotten

this is one of my favorite Christmas carols. if my memory is right, we sang it in SC Baptist All State Chorus when i was a senior in high school - 2000. love the words and the harmonies.

"Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been,
And that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!

At His Word the worlds were framèd; He commanded; it was done:
Heaven and earth and depths of ocean in their threefold order one;
All that grows beneath the shining
Of the moon and burning sun, evermore and evermore!

He is found in human fashion, death and sorrow here to know,
That the race of Adam’s children doomed by law to endless woe,
May not henceforth die and perish
In the dreadful gulf below, evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessèd, when the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,
First revealed His sacred face, evermore and evermore!

This is He Whom seers in old time chanted of with one accord;
Whom the voices of the prophets promised in their faithful word;
Now He shines, the long expected,
Let creation praise its Lord, evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King!
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!..."

Words by Aurelius Prudentius - 5th Century Roman poet

listen here to and 80s choir rendition on youtube

Christmas at the Cox's

lunch with santa - hehe. just kidding, papa jerry.

reading a new book.

in his pjs after opening gifts.

something santa brought.

christmas breakfast. this was the first time we used our fine china. it's so shiny, i loved it. lee cooked breakfast for me. pillsbury cinnamon rolls and bacon (thick slices from the meat market!). will had his oatmeal and a cinnamon roll and a bite of bacon.

very excited about a steak and twiced baked potato dinner with spinach salad tonight! definitely a treat.

a wonderful Christmas day. it's cold and slightly overcast here in georgia with moments of bright sunlight that pour in the windows. chocolate is abundant. tummy is full. house is warm. family is well. a wonderful day to remember and celebrate that Jesus, the Saviour is born.

emmanuel

all the angels exalt you on high
what a kingdom to depart
but you left your throne in the sky
just to live inside my heart

all the heavens cannot hold you, Lord
how much less to dwell in me
i can only make my one desire
holding onto thee

i will always make my one desire
holding onto thee

all the heavens
third day

There's Power in the Blood

Our church had a baptismal service this past Sunday. There were 3 children and 4 adults who were baptized. They gave testimonies about the power of Jesus in their lives and declared publicly that they want to live for him. It's days like this one when God encourages me and reminds me that he is at work and still in the business of changing lives if people will believe he is who he says he is. He is Almighty God - nothing is impossible for him.

forever this truth remains

Not angels, nor demons, no power on earth or heaven
Not distance, nor danger, no trouble now or ever

Nothing can take me from your great love
Forever this truth remains

I belong, I belong to you

Not hardship, nor hunger, no pain or depth of sorrow
Not weakness, nor failure, no broken dream or promise

Nothing can take me from your great love
Forever this truth remains

I belong, I belong to you

i belong, kathryn scott

i love you jesus. thank you for saving me from darkness, for forgiving my sin, for making me clean, for giving me hope, for your unconditional love that i do not deserve. you are my saviour and my king, and i rest in the truth that i belong to you.

more than enough

What if you’re right?
And he was just another nice guy
What if you’re right?
What if it’s true?
They say the cross will only make a fool of you
And what if it’s true?

What if he takes his place in history
With all the prophets and the kings
Who taught us love and came in peace
But then the story ends
What then?

But what if you’re wrong?
What if there’s more?
What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He’s more than enough?
What if it’s love?

song by nichole nordeman