I had to share......

these verses! they are so so encouraging to me right now! The Lord really put it on my heart last week that I was not serving others well! I read the verses in James 1 that says. "22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."

My grandparents came last Tuesday from Texas to visit us for my birthday and just because we had not seen them since last December/November for my dads birthday. It was so encouraging to have them here! Therefore I did not get any blog posts in. :) I was too busy serving them and the rest of my family and having a good break with them. I took off from my studies and other projects until today. :) They left last night and I cried my eyes out, not because I won't see them again possibly, but with tears of joy because they really taught me a lot while they were here. I learned a lot while they were here to be selfless as our Savior was selfless dieing on the cross for us! 

I learned to do things even when I did not feel like it with joy so that others in my family would be filled with joy. That is my prayer for this new year of my life that I would serve others with joy! That I would do more things and be blessed by doing things for others. I have gone through a lot of depression in my life, no I don't take meds, I am not ill. :) I just go through times when I feel so discouraged that I can't do anything without grumbling or complaining. But I believe the Lord had convicted me of this sin and now I can be joyful even in times of uncertainty that this new year brings. 

I read the verses below in 2 Corinthians and I was once again convicted! Am I being a good ambassador for my Savior?! Which means am I being joyful and loving towards others because I am so joyful because I am alive and a new creation in Christ!?? I should be! But sadly I am not joyful all the time. Ladies I cannot say that this joy comes easily, you have to give up everything that you own, were, and are! You have to reconcile yourself to Christ! Give up your sins, possessions, gifts, talents, and give them all to Him! I confess that right now when I was a teen I thought I would be out of the house, have a job in in Nashville,Tennessee recording christian music with my band for the Lord! It was a selfish endeavor I dreamed about as a teen, I wanted to be in the spotlight and just add in the Lord to my music to make it seem alright. I love many christian artists, but I believe I was wanting to become one for selfish reasons. Now I am writing music almost every day! I have about 15 songs almost complete and I am in a much better place. I am where the Lord wants me! Serving my church, family, and friends and not spending all my time for myself. So ladies give it all up! The Lord may suprise you and give you your desire of your heart back! He has done this with me! I stopped writing music when I was 17 and now I am 20 and writing again! But this time with the Word of the Lord as my focus! Its so comforting and worth while and I know its only of the Lord. Praise God He turned my music writing into a way for others to hear His Word preached and not my thoughts preached. :)

Our Heavenly Dwelling

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened--not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Have a lovely wednesday! I hope this was encouraging! More photos from my birthday week coming soon. 

Please do go over to the Thrifty 15 challenge over at http://lavieisbeautiful.blogspot.com/2011/04/winner.html
to see my winning photos. I was so suprised to be featured! Exciting! See more about my totally thrifted and homemade outfit over at La vieis beautiful blog.  

In Christ,
Rebecca