Love never fails.

Your love, it never fails, it never ends. Your love it never quits, it never stops chasing my soul.  

- You're Never Giving Up by Jonathan David Helser 

This mystery I can never fully grasp, that God, who is Holy and untainted by sin could love those who have been deceived by the power of sin in the midst of their unrighteousness. He is all sovereign and all knowing, so He knows that we are going to sin before we choose that path. Yet He continues to love us and woo our hearts towards Him, despite the fact that our turning away brings Him pain and hurts His Father's heart. Even still, He waits with joy in His heart for the day that the heart of the sinner turns back to the Father of the broken, for He will embrace that one with gladness. Oh how wonderful it is, to be called children of the living God. No matter how far my heart gets from centering on my Father, it is never too far for Him to call it back home.

Dance for Joy

Yesterday, I visited a new church. I was blown away by God's presence - it was so tangible there. What touched my heart was seeing a little girl (probably about 8 or 9 years old) dancing her heart out in the front. She was twirling and pirouetting across the front. Her reckless abandon to worship her King truly blessed my heart. It reminded me of myself at that age.

God spoke to me in that moment, and I saw a picture of myself as a little 5 year old girl, dancing and twirling in total unashamed worship of the Lord. It was as if God was saying "See, I made you to dance. It's in your DNA - it's part of your identity." And also, another aspect of this picture was that it was a picture of myself and my identity before I was ever created - when I was still in the heart of God and before I was ever in my mother's womb - I was in the heart of God, dancing. Wow, what a thought. It totally blew my mind to think of things in that manner.

God is ever faithful - He gives exactly what you need at the time and place you need it. I am so grateful for this picture of God's love for me.

Forget Not His Benefits

"Forget not His benefits, forget not his mercies, For He has made me glad, He has taken these old rags and told me me all that I need to be covered by His love. And I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. "

- "Phrases" by Heidi Lichti


It's so easy to get caught up in the monotonous routine of life, forgetting to be grateful for what God has done in your life. How does this happen? We fail to be thankful, fail to remember. I am reminded of the Israelites who continually turned away from following God, even though He had rescued them from their foes countless times, performed many miracles among them, and was continually faithful to them. Yet they would forget, becoming discontented and choosing to turn away from their God.


This pattern can change. I will choose, today, to remember.
God has been faithful to me - I have a roof over my head and food to eat. I have a loving family. So many luxuries have been afforded to me that people in other countries cannot fathom because they spend the majority of their days seeking out basic commodities.

Lord, help me to remember your faithfulness in my life, and to continually seek your face. Let me forget not your beauty and your extravagance, your lovingkindness that never fails. I am thankful today for your sacrifice on my behalf, and for adopting my as your daughter. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.

(This post was Inspired by a song "Phrases" - Heidi Lichti. Check it out at soaking.net)

Not Without Love

                                                       

Assuredly, 

Like the coming of the Dawn, 

The Father's love song goes on, 

Drowning out my bitter songs, 

And breaking through walls, 

And barriers... Christ swoops in, 

Removes sin, picks up His Bride 

And carries her." 

"So I can sing in agreement with the King this thing -

There's only one thing that pleases the Father: 

The God-man on the tree in the midst of the scoffers

Now I finally see that Christ IS what Christ offers, 

And I'm finally free in the love of the Father. " 

(Not Without Love : The Benediction - Jimmy Needham)

Hardship stirs your soul, so that the darkness, the ugliest parts of yourself
all begin to bubble up to the surface. Tragedy brings you to face not only
the reality of the situation, but the reality of who you are.

I found myself faced with this scenario today. Riled up by recent hardships
and trials of life, I found anger rising up within my core. Along with this
came indignation at the thought of me being singled out for difficult times,
and the constant desire to yell: "Why me Lord, why me?"


Which leads to one of life's hardest questions:
If God is so good, why do we experience tragedy in our lives?
More than anything, when I cried out to God with this question,
He gently whispered to me:
   "Do you really see and know me as I am, or as you believe me to be?"

These are clearly two completely different things.
Our human misconceptions of God and who He truly is often lead to roadblocks in our walk of faith.
All I can do is ask God to show me why I view Him in the wrong way.
What does His word say about His character? It says that He is faithful.
That He is true - that He will never leave nor forsake His children.
His word says that He is a refuge, a very present help in time of need.

Why is it so hard for me to believe? I know these things are true in my head,
but when will I reach the point where truth makes the 18 inch journey from
my head to the very core of my being - into the center of my heart?
When it comes down to it, I think it's my own selfish pride that wants to be
strong & independent. I would rather strive and suffer through these difficult
circumstances, than admit that I need help and can't make it on my own.

God's joy is our strength - this I know to be true.
Yet, somehow, in my flesh, I would rather make it on my own.
I would rather rely on myself than fall into the arms of grace.
He's been there all along - He's been waiting for me to trust.
Gently beckoning,  He says:

"Oh my child, would you let me come close?

Would you surrender your all to me - the hopes and dreams? 

That which you hardly dare to vocalize, lest they fade away into oblivion...

         Would you trust Me with those desires?

It seems easier to keep these to yourself, but if you will surrender fully,

I will be able to work so deeply in you, something that is beyond your comprehension."

So I willingly choose to fall into the arms of grace, trusting that
not only will I be sustained for the journey, but I will be brought
to the reality of who I truly am - the fullness of identity and purpose
in Christ my Savior, as well as the purpose He has for my life.
Surrender never felt so sweet.  

Reflections on my 22nd Birthday

One year ago, I would not have expected to be where I am at today. I moved to a new city, attended a new school, and made a lot of amazing new friends. Life hasn't been perfect, but I have grown so much. I have realized that I am stronger than I thought, because God's joy is my strength. God has brought me out of a lot of legalism, into living out of a love and longing for His presence. Truly I am so thankful for this year, away from my family, with my new family - dear friends and a church who supports me and loves me. God knew what I needed before I asked for it, and He provided streams in the desert. 

Now, I am once more transitioning to a new school and city. This time, however, there is a difference. I will have family around me - I will be house mates with my sister, Casiphia, and my dear friend Joanna. Great things are just around the bend, but I am still savoring each moment as this old season comes to an end. Thank you Lord for another year of walking with You - blessings unimaginable, provision, healing -  truly I have a good Father. 

Soaring Higher

You're stronger than you realize
Hardier than you know
The storms of life have taught you well
To whom and where to go.

When trials of life grow harder
When storms and troubles come
The weight it grows so heavy
It begins to stifle your soul

You cry out in your heartache,
Sorrow grows too much
Falling on your knees
You know you can't trek on.

To Him Who Cares you carry
The heavy weights you bore
You lay them down before Him
Love washes over your soul.

A peace you have not known before
Floods in and wraps her arms around
Warmth fills you overflowing
Reaches to the very tips of your toes

No longer do you worry
About your life and things
When these become too much
You lay them at His feet

The answer is not found
In great and marvelous things -
Rest is full in knowing where
And Whom to trust in time of need.

~ Lysandra Elena 05/26/11

Trust in Hardship

“Remember it is the very time for faith to work when sight ceases. The greater the difficulties, the easier for faith; as long as there remain certain natural prospects, faith does not get on even as easily as where natural prospects fail.”
--George Mueller

In summary, this quote states that it is easy to believe when life is going well. When the hard times come is when our trust is really put to the test. God allows us to experience difficulties in our lives in different seasons. As a believer, one must realize the question is not whether hardships will come, but when. This world is not our home; it is bound in sin, therefore the product or sin, death, will ultimately affect all of us. It is how we respond in the midst of trials and adversity that shows how deep our trust in God really goes. Are your roots dug deep, or would you be easily rocked by the storms of life? Say that you experienced heartache and loss similar to Job in the Old Testament – would you be able to continue to bless God, or would you lose sight of His promises?

These are not easy questions by any means, but I believe it is important to ask them. If are honest with yourself, you will probably say that you are not sure if you would be able to continue to praise God. The knowledge that we need His strength to sustain us through the trials that we face in our lives is half the battle. It takes laying down one’s pride, surrendering completely, and admitting that the answers are not yours, they are His. Once you yield to Him in this manner, the journey will become much easier. You will realize that the weight of the situations you face are not your own, and the burden will lift.

I like to think and pray about burdens in this way:

“God, I am not my own problem. I am your problem. I give this situation (worry, strife, anxiety) to You, and pray that You would give me peace and guide me, because I don’t have all of the answers. You are the God of all wisdom, so I give this to You and pray that You would work it out for good – Let Your kingdom come and your will be done in this situation.”

Once you surrender all to Him, you will realize that your trust has deepened a little bit more. It is a journey of trusting in our Savior, but once we realize that He really is the ever - faithful friend who stays closer than a brother, it will bring a paradigm shift in our way of thinking. Draw close to the Lord – He will sustain you through both the valleys and the mountains. He is there no matter what your emotions tell you – cling only to Him and He will see you through.  

My Sustainer

God you are my God, earnestly I seek. Hide me in the Shadow of your Wing.

-The Psalmist

Truly, I can say that God has sustained me this year.

Looking back, I wonder at how I made it through.

The Lord is the strength of my life, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,

My strong tower, my refuge, and a very present help in time of need.

He has supplied all that I have needed by His right hand. 

If I believed for one second before that my faith was strong,

Now I know beyond a doubt that my trust in God is solid.

He has proven Himself faithful during these months,

And done a deep work in my heart.

I believe it was a year and a half ago, it may have been more recent,

But I felt God say that He was strengthening and deepening

The roots of my trust in Him.

If anything, I know the purpose of my year here at school has been this:

to build an unshakeable, unchangeable, and constant hope in my Savior.

While I have learned other spiritual and practical lessons as well,

I feel that this is the overarching theme:

Building a Solid Trust in God’s Goodness.

God has taken this heart of mine, and turned it towards Him in such a way that I will never be the same again. 

Sunshine and Solitude

I am convinced that sunshine and solitude heal the soul.

The lost art of stillness and contemplation is, I believe, a tragedy in our modern culture. Failing to cultivate this discipline may lead to an isolation of mind from soul and spirit by focusing on the here and now, rushing to accomplish something great, thereby forgoing a far greater reward.

I wonder how many ailments of soul and body would be mended if we chose to pause instead of hurry. Honestly, what’s the rush? We do not know the number of days we are allotted, and knowing this inspires me to want to live my life in such a way that others would marvel at the joy I have in every day living. 

We only have one life to live, and I would rather have 45 jubilant years, than twice that filled with worry and strife. A busy, anxious mind robs one of the joy of the Lord, because it focuses on the problems in our lives versus God's goodness and provision.

In the Bible, we are commanded to have a heavenly mindset,  "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Romans 8:6, NKJV).

In order to effectively set the mind on the spirit, one cannot be constantly dwelling on negative things. Instead, we must consistently choose to give Him our worries and burdens.

According to God, they are not our burdens to carry in the first place. He is more than able to show you what it means to truly surrender these to Him as you seek His face in this. 

With all of this said, you may ask, “Where do I even begin to pursue this discipline of rest?” The answer I have found to be true in my life is this: small, persistent steps. A goal without practical steps is only wishful thinking. Practical steps will empower your dreams to become a reality.

Begin with 1 or 2 minutes of silence a day; gradually increase it in intervals and it will soon become easier to quiet your mind. Journal for 5 minutes a day, and before long you may journal for an entire hour, not realizing any time had passed at all.

I pray you have the peace of Christ on your journey, and that you may begin to continually meditate on the goodness and loving kindness of God. 

A Vision for Purity

I was reminded tonight of a vision God gave me about a year ago, a vision for purity. It was an incredible picture. And I believe that in recent years within the church, purity and the abstinence movements have led towards doing the right thing outwardly, yet many have missed tying the heart into the desire to save yourself for marriage. I believe many, many teenagers and young adults toe the line, getting close to, but not quite crossing it, in part because they have not seen the full vision God has for them in this area. Instead, they live out of a desire to do the "right thing", but  end up failing time and again when their actions don't match their standards.  They feel condemned for failing, yet powerless to succeed in their quest to rise above and conquer lust and its consequences. Why can't they get out of the cycle?

Perhaps their focus has been on all that purity keeps them from. Instead of seeing the beautiful plan God has for them in their future marriage with their spouse, they feel deprived. It seems like they have been short changed and given the lesser reward for the greater sacrifice. They see the long, endless list of things they are not allowed to do, yet feel that there is not a list of rewards that far outweighs the burden of duties. This "checklist" of things that are off limits might help them follow God outwardly in this area, but it can effectually breed a legalistic mindset. Legalism does not bring life. It brings death. The pharisees lived by a list of rules, and Jesus condemned them for being so concerned about their outward appearance, yet their hearts were not in the right place. Needless to say, I believe that something must change at the heart level in order for a true life change to take place. This mindset fails to appreciate fully the marvelous plan set in motion by God from the dawn of creation.

The world seduces us by telling us that we are missing out. "What are we waiting for?" We are the only ones who are waiting. Endless pleasures are to be had, and we are just wasting our lives away waiting for the right person. The pull of the world is strong, and if a person is leaning on their self - reasoning, born out of legalism, to save them in the fight against the world's enticements, they will lose. They may not fail morally, but in the end they have allowed the enemy to deceive them into believing that God is keeping something good from them, or that He won't give them the best reward. The power of our saving faith in Christ can quickly become diminished because we have not allowed Him to impart His vision for purity and ultimate purpose for intimacy inside of marriage.

God's vision for purity is majestic. Even thinking back to the picture He showed me now leaves me standing in awe at His creativity and passion. It was a picture of contrasts - two paths standing in opposition to one another with very different destinations.

I saw a large canyon, rough and worn by centuries of nature slowly hewing a valley out of the stone. I saw people walking on a path,  this was a large path, wide and gradually sloping gently to a small incline. Those who were on this path were not moving, but instead the path moved them toward a chasm they could not see. The chasm was black, and spiraled down into the darkness of sorrow and sin. Those who were on this path did not choose it, instead their lack of direction chose the path for them. By failing to choose to follow God in the area of purity, or move towards His vision for them, they were sucked into a vortex of failure and misery.

But then, I saw a small, tiny path that was nearly invisible to the naked eye. It started up the side of the canyon, and was made of hand-hewn stone steps. It was steep, and at times almost impossible to climb. This was the narrow path towards God's vision for purity. It was a difficult climb, but at the top of the climb I saw a door with ivy hanging about it. This door swung open when I came to it, and opened into a rich, luscious, paradise garden. This garden was the destination of my journey. It represents all the treasures in store for those who wait on the Lord. It is the reward of those who seek after God with their whole heart, who are unwilling to compromise for a second, realizing that God never gives us the lesser thing for the greater sacrifice. He always gives us more than we can imagine, greater than we can comprehend, and more fulfillment than we could even dream.

A Time of Restoration

Restoration.
This is a season of restoration in your life.
Of the visions and dreams that I have given to you.
It is a time for you to remember the words I have spoken,
for my word does not come back void.

The world tries to beat you down and tell you that you are not enough.
You are not pretty enough, talented enough, outspoken enough, skinny enough,
smart enough.

But I tell you this: You are enough.
My word does not come back void.
What I have spoken to you is true.

Do not doubt my word.
Have I not said that it will come to pass?
Remember that the very areas that I have gifted you in,
Are the same areas that the enemy of your soul will attempt to disable you in.

Attacks in that area will be many, but I am your sword and your shield.
Look to me, for I am your Protector and your Provider.
I am more than enough for you. I will walk with you through every valley.

Trust me to bring my word to pass.

New Year. New Things.

Wow! It's been over a month since I've written.
Basically, winter break flew by, since I worked probably half of it, and had the other half off (time off work only seems to go by more quickly to me!).

The semester has begun, but the first week I had two days of classes cancelled due to the snow! It was a bit crazy, but now I finally feel that I am getting into the rhythm of things. Except for church. Church wise, I feel a bit unsettled. The church I have been attending is amazing, but I don't feel like it's the right fit for me. I really need to get plugged in where I can be mentored by some older women and have bible studies with my girl friends, but there hasn't been much of an opportunity for that so far. So Kate and I have been visiting some churches, and she also started a bible study on Sunday nights - it's really exciting! It's by Beth Moore, and it's called Believing God. It's about learning to trust in God's promises  - that He is in fact who He says He is, and can be more real in our lives if we trust Him completely.

I am also super excited that I am taking a dance class this semester! Thank God I got into it just in time, and I feel that it will be great as a creative outlet and stress reliever, but also for achieving a greater level of physical fitness. That was one of my resolutions for this new year - to do more things that I enjoy and love, more often! (which I think is always a good plan! :)

-Lysandra