New Blog!!

I just created a new blog! Go check it out: http://myspiritualmeditations.blogspot.com/.

This does NOT mean I will cease posting on this site. I still plan to update this blog too, because my new one is just for things that pop into my head as I read my Bible. Questions I have. Observations I've noted. A couple prayers here and there. You get the idea. Hope you enjoy it!

Family Outings

My Uncle and Aunt stayed at our house for a few days before returning to Argentina--their mission field. We had a lot of fun bowling, eating pizza, playing mini-golf, cards, and more. Here's some pictures from our outings:

Brunswick Bowling!

Mom and Dad

sisters!

"Can you feel the love tonight?"

Mini-Golf!

Nails+Malts+Sarah=FUN!!!

What do Golden Nail, thunder storms, Sears, prom dresses, photo booths, 50's Grill malts, Dollar Tree make-up, and Pride and Prejudice all have in common?

A fun outing with Sarah Mayes!!

This summer Sarah and I decided to get our nails done (for the first time ever) at Golden Nail. It was kind-of a late birthday gift/goodbye outing before I left for college. We had a ton of fun together and made a memory to cherish for a lifetime!

They're great! Give 'em a call.

Buffering the nails.

One of the pretty prom dresses we saw while browsing the Brookdale Mall.

Drinking refreshing water while waiting for our malts at 50's Grill.

Notice the nails?

Our yummy Turtle malts!

Happy our malts arrived!!

Doesn't it just make you wanna buy one right now?

A little whipped cream to top it off. :)

So Hard, yet So True

So I haven't posted for quite some time now. Recently my life seems to be flying by at a crazy pace. Which stories should I record? Which are better left untold?

Looking back over the school year, I am so thankful. Thankful for the friends that God has put in my life. Thankful for His faithfulness to me....even though I am unfaithful. 

"The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him; 

if we deny him, he also will deny us; 

if we are faithless, he remains faithful

--for he cannot deny himself."

~2 Timothy 2:1-13

God has shown me that He is all I need. He is enough. The longings in my heart cannot be satisfied by guys, money, or possessions. They can only be satisfied by Jesus. 

One thing I realized a couple days ago is how thankful I am that I stayed home this past school year. It has been one of the best decisions in my life. God has taught me so many things. Things that are preparing me for college. As many of you know I'm heading off to Ohio this coming school year to start my Sophomore year at Cedarville University. This is going to be a big change in my life and I am going to miss many many people, but somehow I feel content. I feel that this is where God wants me.

Two words of wisdom I have learned:

1. Daily prayer and Bible reading are so important. 

-I know you have heard it many times before, but please take this to heart. Life is so much easier to live when Jesus is at the center. When your gaze is fixed on Him. And the only way to get to know Him better and to grow deeper in your relationship with Him is to talk to Him and listen to Him. Talk to God through prayer, and listen to Him through His Word. He will listen, and He will speak for He is faithful.

"Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

...How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Through your precepts I get understanding;

therefore I hate every false way.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

~Psalm 119: 97, 103-105

2. Don't try to fill the longings and desires in your heart with anyone/anything but Jesus.

-No matter how much you think it will satisfy, it won't. The ultimate boyfriend/girlfriend will eventually let you down at some point.  The best friends won't always be there for you. We're human. It's what we do. We mess up. Your possessions could disappear in a moment....and besides, they get old after a while. Money can't buy everything--love being one of them. Seriously, the only one who will never let you down, will always be there for you, will never grow old, and will love you unconditionally is JESUS!!

"Be strong and courageous. 

Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. 

He will not leave you or forsake you."

~Deuteronomy 31:6

Your Broken, Forgiven, and Loved Sister,

Christi Joy

Roller Coaster

Up. Down. Up. Down.

I'm searching.

Searching for lasting peace and joy.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

I'm thankful.

Thankful for a God who understands and cares.

Child-like

Two women. Hand-in-hand. Now girls. Standing together in a green meadow. The tall grass bending and swaying as the breath of God swirled through it. Joy. Pure joy. The sun shone down upon the girls basking in its warmth. They began to run, and skip gaily through the wild flowers and meadow grass still holding hands. Butterflies flitted nearby. Woosh. The girls were enveloped by the breath of God. Laughter--sweet and uncontrollable--gurgled from their lips. They lay down under a tree by a nearby brooke. Still giggling. Unable to contain the joy inside. Slowly the laughter died and peace filled them. Peace that passes all understanding. As they gazed up into the bright, blue, sunny sky they could see the face of God smiling down upon them. He whispered to each, "I love you. I will never let you go. You are my children. I have called you each by name." His voice was like the rushing of many waters. Soft like a gentle breeze. Their hearts rejoiced at the sound of His voice. Their anxious thoughts stilled. After soaking in the glorious moment, the two girls walked hand-in-hand back through the tall grass to the center of the meadow. They turned and faced each other. Vowing to tell everyone they met about this wonderful place. The two girls, now women, embraced each other and parted ways.

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." 

-Matthew 18:3

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." 

-Matthew 18:20

The Perfect Dream

--written on November 30, 2006 (age: 16)

She ran around in a frenzy. No one knew. No one would understand. Finally she collapsed under a tree from exhaustion. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but no one could hear her. She stood up and pounded her fists into the tree, but that only yielded scraped and bloody hands. She sat back down and began to cry. Long, hard, heart-wrenching sobs. The tears streamed down her face. Eventually she fell into a fitful sleep, and dreamed a dream:

She found herself in a beautiful place. Everything was calm and peaceful. In a way, it seemed oddly familiar. Although she knew she had never been there before. She gazed around at her surroundings. She was sitting underneath a big oak tree with a clear, bubbling brook running past it. Many different kinds of birds perched in the tree top and sang wonderful melodies. Squirrels chased each other nearby, and various flowers bloomed throughout the green, velvety grass. The sound of the water gurgling over the rocks made her thirsty so she stood up and walked over to the brook to get a drink. She gasped once she saw her reflection in the water. Her face was swollen and red from crying. Quickly, she washed her face. Then she drank the cold, refreshing water. When she had quenched her thirst, she looked up and saw a man standing off in the distance. He too looked familiar. She quietly drew near to him. He saw her coming and smiled It was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. When she arrived at his side, he told her, "I will never leave you, or forsake you. I have called you by name. You are mine." His voice was friendly and wonderful to listen to. Her heart leaped for joy when she heard it. He continued, "I know and understand all things. I have listened to your screams, and have felt your tears. Do not worry about tomorrow. I will take care of you. I will help you through all your trials. I know how you feel. I too have been through many trials. Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified or discouraged, because I will be with you wherever you go. I will watch over you and protect you. Go in peace."

She awoke and rubbed her eyes. They were hot and puffy from crying. Then she remembered her dream. It had been a wonderful, peaceful dream in the midst of her chaos. She felt a peace that could only come from God. She knew that her heart was resting in His hands. She stood up and walked away to go find her Bible and pray.

Decipher these verses and you may yet decipher me....

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he as made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:4-8)

For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (Romans 6:14-15, 22)

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9)

In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!"

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." And he said, "Go, and say to this people:

"'Keep on hearing, but do not understand;

keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'

Make the heart of this people dull,

and their ears heavy,

and blind their eyes;

lest they see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears,

and understand with their hearts,

and turn and be healed."

Then I said, "How long, O Lord?" And he said:

"Until cities lie waste without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is a desolate waste,

and the LORD removes people far away,

and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

And though a tenth remain in it,

it will be burned again,

like a terebinth or an oak,

whose stump remains when it is felled."

The holy seed is its stump. (Isaiah 6)

For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: "Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken." Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. (Isaiah 8:11-17)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:22-26)

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:1-2, 5)

In you, O LORD, do i take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD. I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. (Psalm 31:1-8)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Reflecting like the Moon

I don't know if you saw the moon tonight, but it was amazing. As I drove down the highway, the moon loomed straight ahead of me–large, round, and golden. I love looking at the moon on nights like this. When it appears big and yellow, the moon reminds me so much more of the sun than when it is just a tiny, white sliver.  But the moon is still only a small glimpse of the magnificent sun. Tonight, as I gazed at the moon, a thought struck me. I want to be like the moon. The moon only looks beautiful because it reflects the light from the sun. In the same way, I desire to reflect the light of Jesus. I want people to see God's light shining through me. Without the sun, the moon would be nothing. And without the Son, I would be nothing.

I love you more than the sun and the stars that I taught how to shine,

You are mine and you shine for me too.

I love you yesterday, and today, and tomorrow.

I'll say it again and again,

I love you more.