Hope Now

So lately I have been getting really bogged down with worldly worries. The shelter has been full to capacity for sometime now and the constant struggle to save them all is, to say the least, stressful. School is starting again soon, something I am not looking forward to. Bike and Build fundraising and training are constantly on my mind. This is something that I want so badly that I tend to worry about all of the what ifs and buts instead of focusing on the prize. And to top it all of my car, that has been good to me for the past four years, needs a costly new transmission. This has left me in an overall panic and worry about my finances and the immediate future. All of this worry and mistrust has placed strain on my relationship with God and left me feeling guilt because I know that his plan is perfect and that he only has my best interests at heart. So yesterday he slapped me in the face with his love again as he often does. This technique works best for me I guess lol I was listening to the radio and I came across two songs that are currently speaking volumes to me. The first one is called "Hope Now" by Addison Road. The lyrics are as follows

If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter my from the storm

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

I am not my own
I've been carried by you all my life

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

You've become my hearts desires
I will sing Your praises higher
Your love sets me free
(Your love sets me free)
Your love sets me free
(You love sets me free)
Your love sets me free

This song literally slapped me in the face. Everything rides on hope now, everything rides on faith somehow, when the world has broken me down, your love sets me free! Amen to that. This realization left me thinking about my baptism and what that means for my life now. My new life, my life as a servant of Christ. Then I came across the second song, "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin. The lyrics are as follows,

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow...

All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my side
High above my life
I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you
I will follow you

Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there's life everlasting
In you there's freedom for my soul
In you there joy, unending joy
And I will follow

This describes exactly what baptism and following Christ mean. Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay When you move, I'll move I will follow you Who you love, I'll love How you serve I'll serve If this life I lose, I will follow you I will follow you

After reflecting for some time yesterday I decided that I wanted to share this life lesson and these songs because they speak the truth in love. We are struggle, we all doubt, we all fall short but God is good and his plan is perfect. It is with that renewed knowledge and hope that I face all of the hard things in life, school, work , finances ect.

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." ~Matthew 16:25

Love until it hurts, and then love MORE.

The ABC's of 2010

I cannot believe that it is 2011 already!!! This realization leaves me reflecting on the previous year and all of the trials and adventures that I experienced! WOW! Life is a crazy ride.

A- Amazing adventures, apples, and airplanes in Virginia Beach

B- Bonds that will last a lifetime, Best Friends, Bike and Build and big surprises

C- CATS!!!, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cheez-Its and Cars

D- DOGS!!!DOGS!!!DOGS!!!, Detroit, MI (Spring Break), Deirks Bentley

E- Early morning Bible studies, Evergreen trees, E-Board

F- Friends!!!, Foster Animals,

G- Girls just wanna have fun:), God is good all the time, Growth

H- Hills and Valleys, Hope, Hair cuts

I- Ice cream!!!, iheart.org, Isaiah 58:10

J- John 5:8, Joy, Journeys

K- Kristen & Kelly, Kindness of strangers,

L- LOVE, Learning, lightning rod moments, Letters, Lifegroup

M- MOUNTAINS!!!!, Memories, Mark the cat, Mail drops

N- NEW YORK!!! Nighttime chats, Navigating new terrain, Never ending blue skies

O- OREGON!!!!, open conversations, Overwhelming joy!, Oceans, "Our God is Greater"

P- Park visits, pound puppies, perserverance

Q- Quiet Moments, Quality Friendships,

R- Rainbows, Rescues, relizations

S- Sunrises and Sunsets, surprises of a lifetime, Service

T- travels, trees, training

U- unchartered water, umbrellas, unspoken connections

V- Van rides, very excited people, Virginia, Vacation Days!

W- Water!, walks with friends, wagging tails :)

X- X-periences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Y- Yellow, youth, yes!

Z- Zoos with Zebras,


It's been a crazy year. It started with Deirks Bentley, then there was school. the summmer began with Virginia Beach and then there was Cedar Rapids. The summer ended with Cannon Beach and then there was NYC! School started and ended so quickley. Then there was Bike and Build and Fundraising Dinners and New Years spent with friends. Now it's 2011!!!!!! And I cannot wait to see what it has in store :):):)