Tuesday, April 12, 2011

I Am Second

I don't really feel like writing right now, and I haven't had time to do much crafting lately, so I thought I'd share this. I love the website "I am second", but this woman is definitely my favorite. She is precious, and I hope her story touches you as much as it does me. Seconds - I Am Second

Saturday, April 2, 2011

You're Beautiful

So Nick and I got back from Spain Sunday, and the trip was fantastic :) I know everyone is not dying to read about it or see pictures (plus most have you already have heard about it haha), but I probably will write a little on here eventually for my own memories- I just don't feel like putting it into words yet.

I don't really have much to write about today. *(Sorry- I thought this would just be about 4 sentences, but I just kept going.) I just feel like God has sort of overwhelmed me lately in so many random ways- the good kind of overwhelming. I love when I go through these periods of just feeling His presence and being aware of Him constantly (except that then I'm even more overly emotional than usual.) I realize that it's always on my end that the pulling away or getting distracted occurs, but how incredible these "mountaintops" are. It makes me long for the day when I'll finally be refined, when His work in me is completed- and my fellowship with Him will be unwavering & untouchable {no matter how hard my "fleshy" self may try- it will win no more! :) } I know that all day, everyday the Cross has triumphed over death and evil and ignorance and selfishness and hatred and indifference. (Oh for the day I don't struggle with any of these anymore!!) But Easter is always the time I feel it the strongest. As Steven Curtis wrote so beautifully, "Oh what a precious promise." I cannot fathom what I would do without the hope of my Savior conquering this world by suffering through it. I know that the people were so disappointed that He didn't make a grand appearance and flip the world upside down the way they wanted Him to, and the way He had the power to. But, from where I am, able to look back and read the Gospels and know what He endured for me, it makes it so much more beautiful the way He chose to do it.

I wish the way I felt in this moment would weigh on my heart every second. It would make me approach life so drastically different. I heard an atheist once say something that makes me ache everytime I remember it (which is more often than I comfortably would like to.) It's one of the most profound things I've heard someone say on how Christians should be treating the message of Jesus. His name is Penn, and he said:
"If you believe that there's a heaven and hell and that people could be going to hell, and you think that it's not really worth telling someone this because it would make it socially awkward... How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that? I mean if I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you, and you didn't believe it- there's a certain point where I tackle you. And this (everlasting life) is more important than that truck." (If you want to watch the whole clip, look on youtube for "Penn Gillette gets a gift of a Bible")

I don't really have any appropriate words to follow that with. What a great understanding Penn has of how we Christians (not everyone- but definitely me) are messing up our job to go out and spread this message!Why do I let my fear of socially awkwardness trump my fear of people not hearing about Jesus? Not just for the eternal life part, but for how He changes every waking moment of my life in just knowing Him and His promises. Heaven is going to be great- but I can't even imagine how difficult everyday here on earth is without knowing Christ- why am I hesitant to share that with others? If someone happens to read this and wants to talk about what the Savior means to me and how He can change your life, I would love the honor of talking with you. I'll be glad to call, meet, whatever- just write me (I don't want to put all my info on here) at joyousvin@aol.com.

To conclude this random post that I didn't intend to be this long :), I just want to share this song that has meant so much to me. {Not to be morbid, but when I leave this world to go home, please make sure Nick has this at my funeral :)}