Heading overseas…

So tomorrow my family and I, along with a group from our church, are leaving for Israel!  I cannot wait!  We as a family have been to Israel twice already, once on a tour, the second time to visit friends that God had placed in our life and now we are leading a trip with people from our church.  This has been a vision of my parents for a while and it has been so cool to see it all fall into place.  

I LOVE being exposed to other cultures!  We live in such a bubble here in the United States that it is really neat to see how people around the world live life.  

While over there we will visit the places like the Galilee, Jerusalem, Caesarea, and Meggido.  After the tour my family and I are going to be visiting some of our friends in other parts of the country.

I am so excited and I will hopefully be blogging some while we are over there to share some experiences.  If I am not able to there I will definitely write when I get back.  We would appreciate everyone’s prayers as we travel to a place that is somewhat unfamiliar.  Please be in prayer for our safety and just that we will have a wonderful time not only with the tour but in the time that we get to spend with our friends!

I will keep in touch!

Peace…

One of my favorite times of the day is late at night after everybody goes to bed.  The world for the most part is still and tonight in particular the sky is crystal clear and the moon is almost full.  It is so bright that I am actually able to sit outside and write.  There are no lights and only the sound of distant cars.  This is when I am most at peace.  The distractions and constant activity of the day are replaced by shadows and stillness.  Once again this is when I am most at peace.  It is then when I hear God most clearly.  Some of my most intimate times with God have been experienced on my back porch in the middle of the night.  Sometimes I will sit and pray and afterwards I sit and wait for that glimpse of God.  Then as I wait in the stillness and the silence a breeze will move through the trees and as swiftly as it came it is once again silent. 

I love experiencing God in this way!

Sorry, its been a while…

So I realize that its been a while since I have posted and I apologize for that .  I usually like to write about things that I feel can be beneficial or encouraging to all of you who read it.  A lot of times I write in response to things that I’ve read just or things that have got me thinking.  But heres the thing, I have recently finished with school FOREVER and so my brain has been in shutdown mode for the past couple weeks!  I haven’t wanted to think about much of anything.  I have spent my time just watching LOST and American Idol and spending time with my friends.  :)  So thats my life everybody.  I am graduating from college next week!!!!  This is a very exciting time in my life!  I have been in school for six years and it has finally come to an end.  After graduation I am moving back to Nashville and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in my home church again.  I have a small short-term plan but I can’t really see past the end of the summer right now but I feel like thats ok.  My prayer now is that God will open some doors this summer.

So thats whats going on with me right now.  To those of you reading this in Nashville I look forward to seeing all of you again, and to everyone in Louisville…believe me, its gonna be really hard for me to leave.   But life is fresh and exciting right now and I really look forward to all thats gonna happen in the future!

Quotes

I have decided to start posting some of my favorite quotes every once in a while. I love quotes and believe that sometimes one line quotes can be just as powerful and poetic as an entire sermon or a lengthy message. My first quote:

“If we do not gladly reflect God’s glory in worship, we will nevertheless reflect the glory of His justice in our own condemnation.” - John Piper

To me those words are very powerful! No matter what our choice in life, no matter what path we choose, in the end we will STILL glorify God even if it is through our own condemnation. Because in our condemnation an aspect of his character is displayed.

I recently read the book Paradise Lost by John Milton for one of my classes and one of the discussions that arose in class was the issue of why the fall had to happen. And one of the possible answers that was discussed was this: (Lemme see if I can explain it.)

God is unchanging. He always has and always will be and is the same now as he has always been. Parts of his character consist of Justice and mercy. He IS justice and he IS mercy. If we as man had not fallen then those aspects of his character would never have been displayed because there would be no need for justice and no need for mercy.

So tying that back to my John Piper quote, God’s glory is displayed in everything that happens because He demands it and is the only one that deserves it!

That Which Is Truly Beautiful

How beautiful the love of God

That in His glory He would come

And make Himself but mortal man

Redeem His own, fulfill His plan

Fully God and Fully Man

What mysteries to comprehend

He bled and died Himself fulfilled

What once was hidden now revealed

How beautiful the endless Grace

For one once given now every race

For one He came yet all redeemed

Yet to fulfill the mystery

Righteousness made sin for all

Atoning blood o’er man his fall

The spotless lamb the perfect life

God Himself the sacrifice

How beautiful the Risen Lamb

One that was slain now lives again

Victorious o’er the grip of death

Naught could contain His dying breath

How beautiful the glorious King

Adorned in robes of victory

Satan now to taste defeat

Whose head lie crushed under His feet

MML

A Note On American Idol

So, my subjects as of recent have been on a more serious and intellectual note. But this time I want to talk about something a little less intense. So here it is: I currently have my first American Idol crush! I know, I know. Your probably saying, “Come on Megan, your 24, aren’t you a little old for this?” My answer…yeah probably. But cut me some slack, this is the first time!

I don’t watch American Idol every year but when I do I don’t like to start watching until the top 12. Thats when it gets good. So during the first episode that I tuned in for this guy comes out and starts singing Eleanor Rigby (one of my favorite Beatles songs) and at that moment I was in love with David Cook! And every week since he has just done a stellar job. I absolutely LOVE HIM!! I kinda feel like I’m in high school again. He is so talented and hes definitely got that “look” that I like. His ability to be creative and original with the songs is great. Hes got an edge and an excitement to him that just draws me in with every performance.

So, there it is. My American Idol crush. I have actually really enjoyed this season. I really like that they have let the contestants play their own instruments. It shows the extent of their talent and allows for more versatility.

Here are my predictions for the final 3:

David Archuleta (who is THE MOST adorable human being I have ever seen! And the voice that comes out of that little body is just incredible!)

David Cook (For reasons I have already mentioned)

Syesha Mercado (She has a beautifully smooth voice. Very talented) If Syesha is not the one that makes it then I would have to go with Brooke White.

So there you have it everybody!

Rantings Of The Flesh

I being one reserved in the offering of my affections can only envy those who so freely give. I have nurtured jealousy all my life, wanting that which has not yet been given, with hopes that my hurt feelings and perseverance would eventually be rewarded.

The desire for that which is not mine, like the waves on a shore, rise up and consume my heart and mind, drowning that which was righteous and pure. Then as swiftly as it came in it recedes and I am once again at peace. It’s a constant fight between good and evil that takes a toll on my mind and leaves me feeling used.

 

Out of pain flow pleasant songs

Redeeming that which once was gone

Far be it for me to say

I would have chosen another way

For out of pain the saints do cry

It wasn’t pain for which we died

But better that the source would be

A life which once walked blamelessly

Penance once I held as mine

Now ransomed penance considered Thine

MML

A Challenge

(Dated May 17, 2007)

I read an article this morning in the newspaper about Joel Osteen. The heading stated “Mega-pastors expected to attract thousands”. As I read the article I found myself shaking my head at his statements, “I feel like my core message is to encourage people to give them hope and help them live their everyday life.” In this article Osteen readily acknowledges that his sermons are light on theology and Biblical references. He states When I started 8 years ago, I felt like I had to cite 15 scriptures, but then I felt my gift is to help people with everyday lives.”

Later on this afternoon I read an artricle online about the whole Bible vs. science issue. In this particular article the author clearly makes a mockery of creationists portraying them as ignorant and foolish. Why is this? Because so many Christians make claims based on the Bible that they really have no knowledge of. Making blanket statements such as, “I believe because I have faith”, “Or I believe because it is what the Bible says”. Now I’m not saying that we should not have faith or that we should not believe things simply because scripture says but to the world those statements have no credibility. A statement this author made in the article says, “How ironic, then, that by dabbling in science to promote their beliefs, anti-science creationists are more likely eroding the very credibility they aim to bolster.” He is basically telling Christians that they are picking the wrong fight

As I read the second article I began thinking and comparing the two. According to Joel Osteen we need not get bogged down with the intellectual aspect of God and Scripture. That only turns people away. We need to just love on them. Yet on the other hand we have people mocking the Christian faith because of the lack of intellectual foundation.

The American church as a whole has dumbed herself down to being spiritually ignorant. We have become comfortable and happy with where we are and have no desire to explore the depths of who God is! Why SHOULDNT we challenge ourselves to the intellectually stimulating aspects of God. So many Christians today have traded sound doctrine and Biblical theology for a “feel-good” gospel. We are no longer capable of defending our faith because we don’t really know what we believe!

When one decides to obtain a degree in the area of their choice they learn every aspect of their trade. You wouldnt want a doctor operating on you that hasnt spent the last 8+ years of his life learning what he is passionate about. How much more then should we invest in the one thing that matters into eternity? KNOW YOUR GOD!!! Invest yourself in who He is, His attributes, His plan! What will God say to us when we stand before God with nothing to offer Him but good feelings?

O Church! Stay away from this “do nothing, feel good” gospel. Study, Learn. Devote your time to knowing God so when the world challenges you , you will be able to stand firm and not waver. KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE!!!

Romans 7:14-15; 18-21; 24

(Dated January 30, 2007)

“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate…For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the goood is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?”

How desperately my heart cries this verse. The torture of living in such flesh when the only thing my heart desires is holiness. Clinging to pride when asked for humility, brooding with anger when needing to show grace. How often I raise myself up to think I am deserving only to fall breaking everything on the way down! How painful it is to be broken! Yet it is in my brokenness that I see how desperate my situation is. It is only when I am stripped of my pride and the walls of anger and resentment have been removed that I can see that I deserve nothing. Not only do I deserve nothing but there is nothing I can ever give to my Savior and my God, the Creator of the Universe who holds everything in place, and nothing I could ever do to bring to Him the glory and honor and adoration that He deserves. It is a shame to me that I ever thought I deserved anything.

May we always strive after the ways and the paths that God has laid out (though not necessarily made known) not the ones we have laid for ourselves!

A New Blogger

So this whole blogging world is really new to me and I’m still trying to get used to it but I realized as I was reading someone else’s blog that I can talk about whatever I want!  Although I have to admit that I’m not the type that likes to write about pointless things or give an account of what I did today.  I guess the thought that sits in the back of my mind is that I’m gonna write all this stuff and yet nobody will read it.  Who am I writing to really?   So with that,  I  encourage you that are  reading this to comment and give me some feedback otherwise I feel like I’m just writing to myself.