Thursday, June 13, 2013

saying yes.

Last week in the middle of VBS our high school girl's Bible study started. Officially, though, yesterday was our first day of digging into our book titled, "What Happens When Young Women Say Yes To God" by Lysa TerKeurst. In this first chapter she shared the prayer that she prays every morning before getting out of bed... here it tis:

God, I want to see You.
God, I want to hear You.
God, I want to know You.
God, I want to follow hard after You.

It may seem very vague, but yesterday we talked about those seasons in life where we have to add to that prayer "I WANT TO WANT..." Today, that was my prayer that I wrote in my journal before my day had taken it's course. I've been out of it, especially today, and I have been asking for compassion in the toughest, easiest-to-get-angry areas. Hence, at least for now, I pray that I would want to want those things. It doesn't mean I don't love Jesus, it just means that I need to consistently continue to refocus my eyes.

Lysa had us write down two ways that we were going to practically say yes to God in the next week... & these were mine.

  1. Relaxing my to-do list for my glory-to-God list.
  2. Encouraging others even when I don't feel encouraged.
So, in my unexplainable unencouraged state, I finished some projects & asked the Lord to lay someone on my heart to serve & encourage somehow. What did I want to do with the house to myself? Continue reading in my room, browsing Pinterest, and take a nap. That's what I wanted, but it wasn't settling well with my heart. I asked the Lord to continue to lay someone on my heart as I finished up my {praise Jesus!} short to-do list for the day and soon came to the conclusion & called her up.

Who was she you ask? Well, she's human & she loves Jesus. I have been so blessed to spend time with that wonderful woman more lately & she couldn't escape my mind this afternoon.

Within an hour I had a date with her sweet kiddos while she cleaned the momentarily quiet house. I spent the afternoon running through sprinklers, giving forgiving hugs, and praying that I was being a blessing.

Your yes might not look the same, but I know that both parties came out for the better after the afternoon I had just because I listened. Maybe she only cleaned, & maybe all I really did wasn't all that great, but maybe, just maybe, we all felt more encouraged afterwards. I did have to come home & unwind due to my physical-cold-staggering self, but I wouldn't have traded even that sweet afternoon for anything.

I don't know what your daily yes looks like, but the possibility of yours & the anticipation of my minute-by-minute continuing saying yes excites me.

Regardless of the truths in the book we're going through, I'm loving spending time with these girls and my mentor whom is leading it. {Oh, did I ever announce my high school youth group incoming? Oops. It's on my writing list, trust me!}

So, dear Peculiar Treasures, learn to listen, because when you say yes nothing can beat following hard after Him in every single tiny way.

In Abba,
Em

Examine carefully every little act of His life, and every trait of His character, and He is as lovely in the minute as in the majestic. --Charles Spurgeon, Morning & Evening.

Monday, June 10, 2013

reasons why i love coming home.

My fam & I went to the Rhubarb Fest this weekend. It was a good little visit, but I am always ready to come home. Thankfully, though, that used to not be the case. We used to LIVE for short vacations and now we welcome them, but love our home... & that has not always been the case.

  • Since I have limited WiFi & not my usual apps & websites that I'm checking up on often at home, trips are usually quiet social media wise. Hence, when I come home I have a lot to update & a lot of friends to catch up with. That may seem strange, but it's a perk of finally entering our driveway.

  • I got to see my best friend, Chloe, for the first time in weeks. We went to our town's Snow Cone Central & headed to a drive-in movie at our youth group. Pure happiness.

  • Seeing your town coming closer after a day full of fun, but weary traveling.

  • The feeling when you walk in the back door.

  • When your bags are unpacked & all your new treasures have found a home.
I know there has been many more reasons than those rolling through my mind, but... it indeed was a beautiful day, but an exhausting one. So, logging off for now...

Hoping to come back soon & very soon.

In Abba,
Emilee

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

i'm human and i love Jesus.

"I'm human and I love Jesus."

Her voice cracked and whispered the words, "That's what I want them to know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It all rushes back.

I would tell you I don't know why I haven't written on Peculiar Treasures for awhile, but that simply wouldn't be true. I had writers block. I'm grieving. Among other key reasons, there you have it.

Maybe I feel guilty for bringing him up my Grandpa's passing when grief is simply something that usually happens quietly. I wish that these last few months would have had more blogged word, but I have still been writing.

We all try to act like we have it together.

We walk around like we know what we're talking about. Like words and unwanted silence doesn't matter and that we are broken heart resistant. The lies that we hear, the lies that we tell ourselves, the lies that we, to our core, believe... aren't there.

 “Community arises where the sharing of pain takes place, not as a stifling form of self-complaint, but as a recognition of God's saving promises.” --Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer.


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

resistance & the heart of God.

"Resistance
  

                                                            ..........................................



       In the past two days, Makenna listens to my singing over her for only several moments before letting out more cries. She loves being with me, but she wants down all too quickly in my eyes. Am I crazy or do you see the heart of God in this {these} example{s}? The Lord cleanses us; makes us new, but we yell and scream about it. All the while, He is singing our songs over us, even our siblings in Christ are hearing the melody, telling us to just trust Him & reminding us that He is near. We love being with Him. Unlike our spiritually high days though, we leave all to quickly. While we still love Him & we still communicate--His arms, for some reason, don't seem as wonderful & satisfying as they used to be. Then, come evening, it is His biggest delight that we would want to crawl into His lap and cuddle & get warm. I certainly have not responded in all the ways I should have, but He is molding me & it's a beautiful thing to see. Lord, in the ways I lack & in what I'm recognizing {pride, bitterness, little unceasing prayer}, make me new. You are so holy. We know not what we do. I love You--may I be pleasing in Your eyes & may I give You a big delight--by crawling into Your lap. Your will be done, Jesus. You are so good. Prepare us for the Sabbath and train us as we live in hope of the Eternal Sabbath. Thank-You... it's good to be alive.

Yours Forever,
Emilee..."

My journal entry from Saturday, January 19, 2013.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

march.

March wasn't my grandest month, especially as far as journaling goes, but I love looking back on this short amount of time & seeing what He was working in me.

  • Saturday, March 2, 2013. [Someday]

  • Sunday, March 3, 2013. [Breaking the Silence]

  • Sunday, March 3, 2013. [200 Letters... I Will (Never) Send]

  • Monday, March 4, 2013.  [Three Hardnesses & Oceans]

  • Thursday, March 7, 2013. [Changes; Good & Bad]

  • Saturday, March 9, 2013. [Long Stories Short]

  • Sunday, March 10, 2013. [Giving While Empty]

  • Tuesday, March 12, 2013. [Luke & Our Disney List]

  • Saturday, March 16, 2013. [Confusing, Ironic, and Amazing]
...and that post brings us to the end of that journal.

The timeline? From December 27, 2012-March 16, 2013.

 
We turned the last page of this Moleskine, to open the next in line--thanks to my birthday shopping trip! :)

 
 
  • Wednesday, March 20, 2013. [We Accept The Love We Think We Deserve]
 
Enjoy this beautiful weather, y'all! May your weekend be filled with much laughter, coffee, and wonderful companionship. :)
 
Until next time,
Emilee