http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001199.cfm

this is an article that i found quite perplexing, but with some interesting points...

did you know they imprisoned men who didn't marry a long time ago?

"John Calvin intimated that any man who, without the gift of continence, failed to marry was guilty of stealing a husband from a wife.”

i like things that kinda stretch my thinking a little... (or a lot in this case)

i'm not perfect (I know someone who Is)
i definitely don't have it together (For IN HIM all things hold together...)
i can be faithless, prone to be fearful (but when I am faithless HE is FaithFUL, when I am weak HE is strong)
i think i have to deliver myself from this body of flesh (We have ONE redeemer, savior, deliverer named Jesus Christ! )

Ever have a day when you just want to stay in bed? Hide? RUN? Something to not deal with your stuff, to not see your weakness? Where's the glory in that?

God is all over this one!

He wants MORE for us! He wants us to not be satisfied on seeds, but to sow into the truth we so often talk about so He can give us the big delicious fruit! I like fruit better than seeds myself, but it's just the waiting part I do not like. I think the Lord is showing me that even the seeds don't satisfy... they are just shadows of the real deal. i am actually getting ill because of all these seeds in my belly- that is NOT where they belong!

And life is full of waiting. Depending. These can be good things when the One we are waiting and depending on is Him.

As the Lover of our soul writes our story He takes the imperfection and redeems it to perfection, the ugliness He makes beautiful, the disappointment He can turn to hope. He is writing redemption into all our stories if we will just stop and let Him.

Why is it so painful? We are experiencing little deaths each time the resurrections happen in our life... but how incredible is resurrection? God is working death BACKWARDS! He is springing up new life--HIS life and it's beautiful and painful and pleasureable and joyful and tough all in the same moment. Each time a part of the "old Katie/fleshly Katie" dies, He springs up new life in it's place.
This is what he's working towards:

Revelation 21:3-And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, (G)the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will (H)dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them[a],
4and He will (I)wipe away every tear from their eyes; and (J)there will no longer be any death; (K)there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; (L)the first things have passed away."
5And (M)He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am (N)making all things new " And He said, "Write, for (O)these words are faithful and true."

...And somehow, we are seated in Christ at the right hand of the Father participating in this...too much to comprehend, isn't it!?!

Romans 6:3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection

2 Cor 5:17Therefore if anyone is (A)in Christ, he is (B)a new creature; (C)the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. .

Colossians 3:1
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

I NEED to know this! I NEED TO KNOW that Jesus Christ is my life- and it's no longer I who lives but HE Lives in me! And when I try to let the old, dead me live it's chaos and frustration. Real abundand life is in Him alone.

Please SOW into this truth so that the beautiful attractive fruit is seen by this world who desperately needs THE Redeemer- He obviously desires to be this for us: what more could He do to demonstrate that He wants a relationship with us: to fill our deepest longing and that is an intimate perfect relationship with One who will never leave or forsake us. HE will do it.

a burden of my heart is for people to know that all their needs can be met in Christ Jesus: then they are free from seeking out other methods to control their world and to make the counterfeit self worth that is actually so empty.

we were MADE to look to an outside source for love and acceptance, worth and security, and Jesus is the only One who is capable of satisfying these needs, even though we try many other methods. From the outward sins of being hateful, substance abuse, etc to ones that may even look good to the Christian community (finding worth in how well "versed" you are or how many profound things you can say) yeilding themselves to self righteousness (idol: making yourself God by getting your righteousness from what you can think or how you can put others down) to diving into a holy huddle because that's where you feel most comfortable yet not allowing Jesus to change your heart - still depending on self to make self feel "good"

Well you know what feels GREAT?
Allowing the life of Christ to live thourgh you and love others.
To testify to being a part of a life that was changed by the gospel of glorious Grace.
To get to tell someone about the gospel and see the relief in their eyes that they are not accepted on the basis of their works, that their works will never be enough, and that Christ not only loves them but he LIKES them, that their story is one deserving of being heard, that they are not a lost cause.

And a GREAT way to know and experience Jesus is to walk in faith, believing that He is loving and LIKING people through you.

“Quit praying about yourself and spend your life for the sake of others as the bondservant of Jesus. That is the true meaning of being broken and poured-out wine in real life.“ - Oswald Chambers (July 15)

lord what would you have me do today to welcome the flow of your life through me? thank you that you are enough and i am complete in You alone. who needs your love, your hug, your listening ear, your acceptance today that they may live for your glory and that you will be seen on this earth a little more tomorrow? open my eyes to see those who are hungry for you- you are worth sharing!