live well, sweet ones...

live well for the Master
making Him proud of you
as you work hard in Hid orchard

as you learn more and more how God works
you will learn how to do YOUR work

we pray that you'll have the strength
to stick it out over the long haul
not the grim strength of gritting your teeth
but the glory-strength God gives

it is strength the endures the unendurable
and spills over into joy
thanking the Father
Who makes us strong enough to take part in everything
BRIGHT
and
BEAUTIFUL
that He has for us.
Col. 1:9-12 (msg)

wow, what a promise!
i want to make God proud of me.
i want to live well.
its so hard.
not sometimes,
but all the time.
but you know,
just like a boyfriend or girlfriend is worth
getting to know
loving even the things that annoy you
changing things about yourself
God is worth it so much more.
i want to live well for Him, because He deserves it.

we should work hard for Him,
we should work hard in our relationship with Him
we should commit to falling in love with Him everyday.
i want to do the work He has called me to.
even if that means being the best encourager i know how,
being the best friend i know how to be,
being the best listener,
being the best sister,
being the best daughter,
being the best at keeping my house clean,
being the best at my school work,
being the best.
God deserves it.

when things get to rough,
dark,
hopeless,
STICK IT OUT.
keep going forward,
but don't strive,
because then you will get burnt out, or just depressed and even worse off...
keep working and taking one step at a time.
because God has promised His glory-strength!
His glory is the weight of His presence!!!
He will put the weight of His presence in your life, give you the strength to keep going!!!
WOW!
what a promise.

when you have Gods glory-strength
i dont see how you cannot get through anything.
my Jesus carries me.
my Jesus is the Lifter of my head.
my Jesus is the Keeper and Sustainer of my life.
my Jesus is my Pleasure.
and you know what,
just knowing that gives me joy!
and that's what is promised to us!!!
the joy of His presence.
when you have that deep joy,
you feel like you can conquer the world,
and whats awesome is that IN Christ we are
MORE THAN CONQUERORS!
we are heirs to a KINGDOM.
wow.
i love that.
royalty.

i love the last verse of this passage,
that Jesus makes us strong to take part in EVERYTHING He has for us.
dont you want to take part in absolutely everything God has for you?
I DO!
and you know what,
everything He has for you is
BRIGHT
it's
BEAUTIFUL!
God doesn't hold out when it comes to His kid's.
He gives us the best.
man.

He loves you SOOOOO much.
He delights in you.
Your dreams and wants are precious to Him.
He doesn't take your relationship with Him lightly.
He is so passionate about you, that He would die for you.
and He did.
and He doesn't ask for anything in return except our obedience.
and because we love Him, it's not really anything for us to be obedient.
BECAUSE i love Him i can't help but be obedient.
how freeing is that?!

i pray that as you go throughout your day,
that you feel God's complete desire and delight for you.
just look outside and just feel God smiling on you.
He delights in you being happy,
you being you,
you hanging out with your friends.
take on the day,
and just feel the smiles of Jesus :)

-hans.