Live Full Lives

This summer we, the bloggers at LBF, have been to the ocean,the desert, the mountains,and the valley.  We have shared our stories from our normal daily lives and our uncommon vacation days. We have shared some mountaintop experiences and some down in the pit days.

But, through all the places that our lives have taken us there is one common place all of our feet have tread.  God's Love.

..."that with your feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17b-19

Being a part of this blogging team for nearly a year now has been a wonderful experience. It has helped me to look even harder for God in my every day. It has been a discipline of writing and a new discovery of the greatness of HIS of love.

Gods Word tell us that " you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love" . With ALL the followers. Through the sharing of life with my fellow bloggers and sisters in Christ I have been able to more fully experience Gods love.

These beauty-fill ladies have shared their emotions as they have reached out to touch the breadth of HIS love. They have been honest in their quest to understand the length of Gods love. We all have shared the failures and celebrated the triumphs and in ALL of it we have been reminded of God great Love.

There is no place that  we can go in our hearts or in our minds, in our words or with our actions that Gods Love is not there with us. HIS Love has extravagant dimensions that are beyond anything we can fathom.

I am so glad that I have my LBF blogger sisters to remind me that no matter where I go HIS Love is there with me. My life has been lived more fully in the knowledge of Gods extravagant love because they take the risk of living transparently for HIS Glory.

Surround yourself with friends that will jump out of their comfort zones to increase your knowledge of HIS Love and allow you to live more beauty-full lives.

Humbly,
ruthann



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Monday Mornings

I am not a morning person. Or a Monday person.

This weekend I was away at The Cape and it was a nice break form "the usual." I found myself even more opposed to getting out of bed for the start of my work week today.

But, I'm thankful to be working and to have a paycheck. I'm thankful that, unlike so many, I have a job that I love. And, despite my lack of Monday morning enthusiasm, I have to choose to have a good attitude about today.

So, happy Monday everyone, be thankful for whatever your day brings.

Jill

Uniform

Have you ever noticed how the events that you rehearse in your mind frequently never come to pass even remotely the way you pictured them? I think we all do this. Or is it just me?

It certainly makes me realize that my thoughts, often motivated by my emotions, cause my will to take over and waste time on the foolishness of undetermined perceptions. Even more purposeless is when I change the mock scenario at a whim.

This morning as I was reviewing my week thus far with the Lord, I realized in retrospect that the events that had transpired that were good had not come from my thinking, but from the Hand of God.

James 1:17 says it this way:
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The workings of our soul – our mind, will and emotions – can be pretty presumptuous and fickle. So in my prayer time today I found myself asking God to draft my soul, with the word “draft” meaning “take my soul (mind, will, emotions) over into His army, even if against my will”. My hope and desire is that my mind, will and emotions will become Uniform with His; standardized, consistent, unvarying.

I loved Ruthann’s post this week, Fall 2012 Beauty Tip because it spoke of putting on the best garment which is “Love”.

Well I guess because my soulish realm has seemed a bit undisciplined lately, along with “Love” I think I need to put on a clean uniform for my soul.

As an active reserve member in God’s army I’m thinking I need a refresher in basic training at times. (You know, like an Army reservist goes off for active duty training weekends.)

I am so glad my Commanding Officer portrays Himself as a Shepherd.

Psalm 23:3 says it this way:
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

I need to try my uniform on regularly, see how it fits, and submit to alterations if needed. When it fits well, there is something strikingly Beauty-Full about a crisp and polished army uniform.

Gratefully HIS,

Jan

Lessons from the Valley

So, last week I was on vacation, in a valley.  One day, I paid $17 dollars to walk through a gorge, cause my imagination had me convinced that if I walked alone on any of the billion free trails that were around, I'd get lost, it would get dark, and I'd get eaten by a bear. Or a spider.

I also mentioned last week that being situated in a valley was an appropriate projection of life right now.  Valleys are different for all of us.  They can be due to loss.  To sin; our own or someone else's. They can be due to circumstances. They can be due to illness. They can be due to just plain old life.

While I was down in the $17 gorge, I noticed some things about valleys.  I think they apply to both the physical valley I was in, and all the other valleys we might find ourselves in.

It's pretty easy to get into the valley. The walk is quick, and while a few roots and rocks and stumbles might get in your way, for the most part, its a easy road. Sometimes it's even a pleasant road. 

Valleys are dark. There's not a ton of light, and it can be hard to see what's what.  You can see light trying to get in, but it can't quite permeate everything that's blocking it.

 The way out of a valley is a bit more complicated. From a little higher up, more light gets in. It doesn't have as far to travel, and things look a brighter. You notice the differences in things that all seemed like one big dark mess from at the bottom. There are still dark places, places where no light makes hits. Sometimes you think you're headed up, only to be on a path that leads you around and back down, right to where you started. I took more than one of these sneaky paths on my walk, and I have in life as well.

 

When you look up in a valley, you can see all the light that's not able to get through. But you have to look up to see it. When you do, sometimes you can seethe difference between the dark that you're in, and the light that trying to break through. Sometimes it makes you hopeful. Sometimes it makes you want to go back down, cause as we said before, that way is easier. 

When you finally make your way out of the valley, you can see all the light that was trying to make its way down. You can see that the light touches the tops of everything that has it's roots in the valley.

I'm not saying that God condones or approves or likes the things in our valleys.  I'm saying that even in our valleys, He never leaves us. If we look up, make our way up, He'll be there. And He loves us.

Brooke

Fall 2012 Beauty Tip

My mailbox is stuffed with over-sized catalogs. My inbox is engorged with advertisements for the new "must-have" clothes. Fall is almost upon us and the world is obsessed with what to wear this Fall of 2012.

I am not obsessed but I have sneaked a peek at what's "in" this Fall. I admit it.  I love the classic tweeds, textured knits, the rich earthy  hues of the season. I even like the trendy bright denims.   But don't get me started on the "skinny jean" craze (remember someone needs to remind me to  get in shape this year).

 I know I will hit the stores and pick up a new outfit, a bulky sweater or a pair of boots to freshen up the basics I already have in my wardrobe. I will pack up my little cotton skirts and flip flops and tees and replace them with heavier fabric garments. I will try on my long jeans and button-down shirts. I will be refreshed and at times frustrated by the process of shopping and changing over my closet.

However,as I survey my wardrobe I don't want to forget the most important basic I can possess...love!

And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all purpose garment. Never be without it.       Colossians 3:14 The Message

 During my quiet time with God last week HE impressed on me that my knowledge of love is still very shallow. I didn't get this impression in a condemning way but rather in a prompting that HE has SO MUCH MORE to show me about love.

   God is Love.  1 John 4:17 The Message

 The Word  became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. John 1:14 The Message

So instead of pouring over fashion magazines to find the right garment  this Fall I am going to dig deeper than ever before into the life of Jesus. 

Jesus is LOVE. Jesus lived out on earth what HE is...Love!! That's the style I want to dress in so here I go shopping in the Word of God for a new garment of love. 

 Seeking HIS Beauty,

ruthann

A Beauty Full Monday to ya

Oh to give the glory where it is due to God alone. I pray this Monday that you are blessed by this young girl's offering to God.

Now THIS  is living Beauty- Full!!!

http://youtu.be/P_XjW_jPIZI


Blessings,
ruthann

Just In Time

I've had a pretty hard week. A week where sad and stressed and scared doesn't even seem to cut it. Bad news just seems to keep on coming for this one situation and hope can be hard to hold on to. I'm at that point where when I start to pray about the situation, no words come out, only tears.

I was in a particularly sad state when I was driving home from work today and a representative from my old university called and said, "Hi, I'm calling for Jillian. This is the alumni prayer center with Liberty and I'm just wondering if there's anything I can pray for you or your family for today."

What I heard, was the voice of God saying , "Jillian, I have not left you. I will never leave or forsake you. I hear your prayers, and regardless of what happens, I hear you always, and I love you. Always"

That call came just in time.That young lady's prayer for me and this situation came just in time.

I can tell you first hand, that when hope seems lost, and you feel like no one can hear your pain, God can. And He will hear us always. And He will love us always. And that's enough for me

Have a blessed weekend.
Jill