on the plane ride over here, i read through five of the ten books i had stuffed into my suit case. and since i've been at the James Place, i haven't picked a single book up to read because i simply have not had the time (not complaining - LOVE being busy!!!)...and this evening i decided to stay home from an event in Jinja to have some quiet time.
some days - whether you're in Franklin, Tennessee or in Jinja, Uganda - you just need an evening of relaxation and reflection. i took a long, hot shower (thank you, Lord!) and ate some steamed veggies and drank a few glasses of fresh passion fruit juice. then i sat down with my Bible and A Praying Life (a fantastic book written by Paul E. Miller) and read out of each for several hours.
if you haven't read A Praying Life, i highly suggest you go do so! this book stays true to its title, explaining what it means and how to live a praying life.
as i was reading through chapter six, this text fell heavy on my heart...and i'd like to share it with you.
this part is actually a quote from another book called A Letter from Jesus Christ (next on my reading list!!!)...
i know those moods where you sit there utterly alone, pining, eaten up with unhappiness, in a pure state of grief. you don't move towards Me but desperately imagine that everything you have ever done has been utterly lost and forgotten. this near-despair and self-pity are actually a form of pride. what you think was a state of absolute security from which you've fallen was really trusting too much in your own strength and ability....what really ails you is that things simply haven't happened as you expected and wanted.
in fact, I don't want you to rely on your own strength and abilities and plans, but to distrust them and to distrust yourself, and to trust Me and no one and nothing else. as long as you rely entirely on yourself, you are bound to come to grief. you still have a most important lesson to learn: your own strength will no more help you to stand upright than propping yourself on a broken reed. you must not despair of Me. you may hope and trust in my absolutely. My mercy is infinite.
i think we can all agree that at one point in our lives, we have all been here. we've all experienced those moments of feeling hopeless and lost. i know i have! and i know that (even in this past month) the Lord has exposed how much of myself i trust in and the things i find my security in. it's so wrong! there is absolutely nothing we should base our identity in other than Jesus Christ!
it's sad to think that we try to find our self-worth in things we are good at, other people, tasks we accomplish, and so so much more. and when we do this, we put ourselves in a state of constantly being let down and allow ourselves to be vulnerable to grief.
and i can say personally, there is grief and disappointment when i try to stand on my own strength.
because without Christ, i am weak. i am ignorant. i will fail over and over again. i am insecure.
but when i fix my eyes on who i am in Christ, i am strong. i am humbled. i will prevail. i am secure.
there is a huge, huge difference seen and experienced when we live for the Lord, trusting and hoping in Him absolutely!
and on that note, i'm off to bed! church in the morning - will try to get some pictures....i'm so blessed to have found a church i connect with and feel at home in!
much love, my friends!!!
some days - whether you're in Franklin, Tennessee or in Jinja, Uganda - you just need an evening of relaxation and reflection. i took a long, hot shower (thank you, Lord!) and ate some steamed veggies and drank a few glasses of fresh passion fruit juice. then i sat down with my Bible and A Praying Life (a fantastic book written by Paul E. Miller) and read out of each for several hours.
if you haven't read A Praying Life, i highly suggest you go do so! this book stays true to its title, explaining what it means and how to live a praying life.
as i was reading through chapter six, this text fell heavy on my heart...and i'd like to share it with you.
this part is actually a quote from another book called A Letter from Jesus Christ (next on my reading list!!!)...
i know those moods where you sit there utterly alone, pining, eaten up with unhappiness, in a pure state of grief. you don't move towards Me but desperately imagine that everything you have ever done has been utterly lost and forgotten. this near-despair and self-pity are actually a form of pride. what you think was a state of absolute security from which you've fallen was really trusting too much in your own strength and ability....what really ails you is that things simply haven't happened as you expected and wanted.
in fact, I don't want you to rely on your own strength and abilities and plans, but to distrust them and to distrust yourself, and to trust Me and no one and nothing else. as long as you rely entirely on yourself, you are bound to come to grief. you still have a most important lesson to learn: your own strength will no more help you to stand upright than propping yourself on a broken reed. you must not despair of Me. you may hope and trust in my absolutely. My mercy is infinite.
i think we can all agree that at one point in our lives, we have all been here. we've all experienced those moments of feeling hopeless and lost. i know i have! and i know that (even in this past month) the Lord has exposed how much of myself i trust in and the things i find my security in. it's so wrong! there is absolutely nothing we should base our identity in other than Jesus Christ!
it's sad to think that we try to find our self-worth in things we are good at, other people, tasks we accomplish, and so so much more. and when we do this, we put ourselves in a state of constantly being let down and allow ourselves to be vulnerable to grief.
and i can say personally, there is grief and disappointment when i try to stand on my own strength.
because without Christ, i am weak. i am ignorant. i will fail over and over again. i am insecure.
but when i fix my eyes on who i am in Christ, i am strong. i am humbled. i will prevail. i am secure.
there is a huge, huge difference seen and experienced when we live for the Lord, trusting and hoping in Him absolutely!
and on that note, i'm off to bed! church in the morning - will try to get some pictures....i'm so blessed to have found a church i connect with and feel at home in!
much love, my friends!!!
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