Pete the Cat

If you have preschool-age kids, you may have heard of Pete the Cat. Pete the cat has four groovy buttons. He rocks white shoes. He loves school. Pete is a laid back, cool cat who plays the guitar. Lots of things happen to Pete's buttons and shoes but he takes it in stride "because it's allllll good."

My boys LOVE these books. Love is probably an understatement. We don't even read it anymore, we just turn the pages and Jackson tells us the story word for word. He and Landry even act it out. Sometimes I use it in discipline, when the boys are throwing fits, I'll say "does Pete cry??" "Goodness No!" Lol.

Pete is a smart dude. Not sure if the guy who wrote the book is a Christian, but his theme is Christian in nature. It always makes me laugh when we read it because God can use anything for his good and to teach his children if we just open our eyes to see.

Psalm 46
1God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
² 2Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
³ 3Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

10Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

11The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Does Pete worry? Goodness no! Does Pete cry? Goodness no! Whatever comes at Pete, he just keeps going and singing his song because it's all good.  Shouldn't we be the same? Our hope is eternal, our place is set at His right hand, a time will come when all sadness will be gone and we have joy everlasting. God is with us, He is our ever-present help in times of trouble. BE STILL AND KNOW. He is God, I am not, he is in control. So when troubles come, will Jess cry? Maybe:-). But ultimately, I hope I remember that stuff will come and stuff will go but God is my refuge and hope. Because it's alllll good.

Full of Thanksgiving

It's pretty fitting that the book I'm still reading right now (I commented on it in my last post as well) is all about being thankful. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is a good read, friends. I've learned to be present in all situations, to be thankful for every moment I'm given, and to see and expect God in each day. Because he tells us he's there and we can take him at his Word.

So as we come into thanksgiving, I want to encourage you to be grateful for what you have and to stop pining for what you don't.  

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

He is worthy of our praise and admiration. He deserves our thanksgiving not only on this holiday, but every day.  As our perspectives shift, and we start seeing each day as a gift, not a right or entitlement, we will gradually see our lives change as we find joy in EACH moment and EACH circumstance. Celebrate what God has given you and worship him accordingly! 

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe Hebrews 12:28

Happy Thanksgiving:-)

God is good.

Give me faith to trust what you say
That you're good and your love is great  - Elevation Worship "Give Me Faith"

God is good.  This truth is so foundational in what we do and how we live. The Lord has been revealing this to me over and over in most of my quiet moments with him lately.  Think about the fall. We talked about this in our women's group last weekend. When Eve first decided to eat the fruit, what lie was she believing??

^{Genesis 3:6} When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.

God had given Adam and Eve every single fruit in the garden except ONE, but Satan convinced Eve that God was withholding from her...that he did not have her best in mind, that he was not truly "good" and trustworthy.  As we women often do, Eve thought she knew better than God; she wanted "wisdom" and control.

I'm reading a book right now (spoiler alert) called one thousand gifts by Ann Voskamp. In the beginning she writes of a terrible family tragedy that rocks her world and view of God, wondering if she could believe that a God who allowed this unthinkable death was truly good. I read this and sobbed. Would I believe that God is good if he took my child home? At the core of my being, do I really believe that in any circumstance, whatever comes my way, that the God I serve is good? Because if I don't, what's the point? And if I do, it changes everything. I won't worry, I won't fret or fear, I'll live with joy knowing that nothing can shake my foundation. Nothing can steal my peace because the God I serve always always has my best in mind. He is good all the time, no matter what.

This truth is especially real right now, as people struggle with hurricane sandy and unspeakable tragedy throughout our globe.  Why does our God allow suffering? Why would a "good" God allow such awful things to happen? Well the answer is simple and complicated:-). It starts with the fall and ends with Jesus as our rescuer.  The vital truth that God is good  reminds us that God hates to see his people suffer and that was not his original intent for us, but because of choices made suffering comes.  His purposes are beyond our limited sight.  Visit this link http://www.christianityexplored.org/tough-questions/godandsuffering for great insight.  I'm not bailing on this question, but I just think this site explains it way better than I can, not trying to reinvent the wheel here.

So believing in God's goodness has huge implications for both personal circumstances and global suffering and injustice. For if God is not good, what am I doing? How can I trust him with my life? But he proves his goodness over and over, the cornerstone of this proof being Jesus - God sending his own Son to take on ALL suffering, pain, injustice through his wounds and his blood, then rising again three days later to give us hope for a future free from hurt and wounds.  Why would a God who doesn't care about us, who isn't good, do that? If God wasn't good, he would have left us at the fall. He would have said, hey Adam and Eve, you idiots, I told you what to do, you didn't do it, so peace out!! You're on  your own. But he didn't. Over and over he implores his people to return return - I love you, I created you, I want fellowship with you! Come back to me, do what I say, I promise, everything I have for you is VERY VERY GOOD.  The crowning glory of his reaching out for us is Jesus- God Man to earth living in a fleshly form exhibiting God's love and goodness through every word, act, miracle and of course, the cross.

So when I struggle with believing in God's goodness, when some tough time comes, or I'm just believing the lie that God doesn't know what's best for me so I need to take control, I turn back to Jesus. I remember the cross. My heart softens and gratefulness sets in. I remember that God loved us so much, he sent his Son. He is good. He is worth it all. He knows what I need exactly when I need it. And he has set a place for me in heaven. Why worry? 

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Spurgeon:

Christ loved you before all worlds; long ere the day star flung his ray across the darkness, before the wing of angel had flapped the unnavigated ether, before aught of creation had struggled from the womb of nothingness, God, even our God, had set his heart upon all his children.

Since that time, has he once swerved, has he once turned aside, once changed? No; ye who have tasted of his love and know his grace, will bear me witness, that he has been a certain friend in uncertain circumstances. . . .

You have often left him; has he ever left you? You have had many trials and troubles; has he ever deserted you? Has he ever turned away his heart, and shut up his bowels of compassion? No, children of God, it is your solemn duty to say 'No,' and bear witness to his faithfulness. 

 --Charles Spurgeon, 'A Faithful Friend,' in Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon (New York: Sheldon, Blakeman & Co., 1857), 13-14

LOVE IT! Links I LOVE today...

Encouraging our Children to live as "ALIENS" : Remembering that our goal as parents is not to have children who "fit in" with the standards of this world, but who learn to love God with their whole heart, bodies, minds and soul.  Quite a challenge.

The Unholy Pursuit of Happiness: Is being happy really the purpose of our life?  Many secular writers and americans would say "of course! it's a constitutional right!"  This writer would disagree, and as a follower of Christ, so would I.

Lecrae: Hip Hop Evangelist Extraordinaire! : love his music, love his heart, and he has a new album!! What what, love me a fat beat that proclaims the name of Jesus!

Seriously? Who has 2 thumbs and LOVES pumpkin? This gal! : It's fall y'all! Check out this link to 50 great pumpkin recipes.

Beautiful Life

I'm not usually political, but I don't believe abortion is a political issue, it's a life issue. And my heart is breaking at the selfishness that is justified as "women's rights." It's not a war on women, it's a war on the unborn children that are not given their rights.  It really comes down to sacrifice and choosing to lay your desires down for those of that growing babe inside of you, no matter the circumstances that placed him or her in your womb.  Phillipians 2: 3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but to each of you the interests of others. What a wonderful choice to consider the life of that baby over your own wants or what's easiest for you.  God will bless that choice in an abundance of ways, I promise.  It won't be easy, but He promises He will come through, and our God keeps His promises.


This song by Trip Lee says it well...

Beautiful life inside 
Living, moving, breathing 
So let hope arise 
God knew what he was doing when He gave 
Beautiful, beautiful life 
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/trip+lee/beautiful+life_21013992.html ] 
Dear sister, I hear the place you at 
I know there ain't nothing easy about going through that 
There's a baby in your womb 
But you wasn't trying to do that 
You'd take it all back if you knew that 
But you ain't have a clue that 
That time with your boyfriend, that late night 
When you thought you was making love that you would make life 
And now it's feeling unfair 
Man, it ain't like you ain't got a life 
Shoot, the time, it really ain't right 
Can't quite tell you that I understand your pain 
But I know you shouldn't feel discouraged and ashamed 
And I know that baby in your stomach ain't a game 
It's got a heartbeat 
He's about to grow a little brain 
He's dependent on his mama 
God already knows his name 
You're made in God's image and that baby is the same 
Give him life 

Beautiful life inside 
Living, moving, breathing 
So let hope arise 
God knew what he was doing when He gave 
Beautiful, beautiful life 
Let it live 

Brother, I bet you were caught off guard by that seed in her stomach 
So your heart aches hard 
Feeling trapped like prisoners behind those bars 
The hand's been dealt, but you don't wanna take those cards 
Homie, stop and think about the choice 
That baby in her womb, she ain't really got a voice 
So she really needs her daddy to love her and rejoice 
She's a blessing from the Lord 
She don't need to be destroyed 
Don't abandon her mama 
Love her and support her 
She's in pain now, too 
She needs someone there for her 
But don't let her hurt you 
Baby girl alive in the womb 
Cause homie, you'll be looking in her eyes pretty soon 
Hey, don't get me wrong 
Look, I agree that we should give women rights 
That goes for unborn women, too 
Give them life

Jess

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

^13 13

His Grace that Rescues Me

There's no silver or gold 
And no treasure untold
That could draw me away from Your heart
Neither love of myself
Or of anyone else will do 

Jesus nothing compares 
To this grace that rescues me 
Saviour now and forever 
Your face is all I seek 

"Unending Love" Hillsong

May this be my prayer today Lord. May my life reflect this truth. I pray that you continue to break me of my love of self, material possession, and any other idol that distracts from your grace that rescues me.  You are holy, worthy and true. 

Psalm 63

³ Because your love is better than life, 
    my lips will glorify you.
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live, 
    and in your name I will lift up my hands. 
⁵ I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; 
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Oh Lord, let David's prayer be mine! That I would comprehend your great love and find all I need in you! What a great God we serve. 

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

So Fresh and So Clean!

While walking out to my car, I noticed that all the windows in our building at work were being cleaned. When I came back from a few errands, they were finished. I immediately noticed how sparkly and clear they looked! I didn't even realize they were dirty!

What a reflection of our relationship with Christ. So many people walk around not realizing how dirty their life is. If they would only taste and see that the Lord is good, Jesus would come in and clean them right up! And only then can we see how dirty we were. Grace opens our eyes to the beauty of the Lord and His creation. We now view the world clearly as God does. His truth becomes ours.  

The view through my window at work is no different. But it is much clearer and more beautiful. Sometimes it takes a good cleaning to realize how dirty we are.  Give Jesus a chance. Let Him open your eyes and heart to the beauty of His salvation.

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 

Living an intentional life

Thanking God recently that he has showed me how to live an intentional life. One where I try to see each moment for what it’s worth...whether it is snuggling Landry while I rock him to sleep, reading J-man’s bedtime stories, walking into work, eating dinner with Josh, watching tv...whatever! Just remembering that God has chosen me to be his ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20), to work through (Ephesians 2:10), to display his splendor (Isaiah 61), to honor him daily by the way I live. He did so so much for me by sending his Son to die in payment for MY sin, how can I live any differently? How could I waste any moment I’ve been given? But rather, I choose to live intentionally, to make decisions based on the Lord, His Word, and his purposes. I no longer live for myself, but rather for Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).