no body, no self, just my God.

I am currently reading Taste and See: Savoring The SUPREMACY of GOD IN ALL of LIFE. By : John Piper

The book contains 140 devotions, I read this one last night and it really ministered to me.

~15~

-Her body, Her self, and Her GOD-

They looked at diaries from the 1830's to the 1990's. In the nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries, girls' diaries focused on 'good works' and perfecting the character. In the 1990's girls wrote on 'good looks,' and on perfecting the body.

A diary from 1892 says, "Resolved... to think before speaking. To work seriously. To be self-restrained in conversations and actions. To be dignified. Interesting myself more in others."

A diary from 1982 says, "I will try to make myself better in anyway I possibly can with the help of my new budget and baby-sitting money. I will lose weight, get new lenses, already got a new haircut, good makeup, new clothes and accessories." 

The diary entries are completely different and really made me think. The first one is based on "good works" and the other to "good looks." 

The Bible describes what God wills for women.

" That the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,

but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."

 1 Timothy 2:9-10

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--

rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror."

1 Peter 3:3-6

Looking that these verses I realize both entries focus on self. It is so sad to come to the conclusion that I fall under both entries. I am so selfish all the time... wanting to always improve myself. Always wanting to seek the approval of man. How many times do I look in the mirror with the thoughts of does my makeup look good, or is my outfit cute? Who cares seriously? Have we become that shallow of human beings?

The biblical starting point in dealing with the fear of looking unacceptable to God. Does a woman "hope in God" or hope in the approval of men(and other women)? This is the key to "not being frightened by any fear". This is the key of being free from the bondage to the mirror. 

The biblical goal in life is to express the all-satisfying greatness and trustworthiness of God. Expressing God, not self, is what a godly woman want to do. With God at the center-like the "sun," satisfying a woman's longings for beauty and greatness and truth and love- all the "planets" of food and dress and exercise and cosmetics and posture and countenance will stay in their proper orbit. They say if this happens, the diaries of the next generation will probably go beyond looks and character and speak of the greatness of God and the triumphs of His grace. 

Lord I pray that that in this next generation we would speak of how great you are oh Lord, how mighty you are oh God, and that we would stand in reverence and awe of You our Sovereign King.

I recently heard some things that got me thinking, and to the point where I desire and long for these:

~Finding your worth in God. 

~Do we love what God loves? Do our hearts look like Gods heart? 

~Lord break my heart for the things that break Your heart.

and i've found two purposes in life...

~ to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

~love Him, love others, and serve the world.

Jesus, be the centre
Be my hope, be my song
Jesus

Barista No More.

A customer gave me a card today and in there she wrote... "Find something you love to do, and you'll never have to work a day in your life." I loved her quote!

Today was my last shift as Starbucks. When I first put in my last day date about three months ago I was so excited to quit starbucks. After working there for four and a half years, I was ready. I kept thinking about how sick I was of that place. Within the last week emotions started to change. I was actually getting sad about leaving. I woke up yesterday not wanting to go in to my last day because I knew it would all be over. Four and a half years is such a long time, I look back on all the amazing memories and wonderful friends I have made through all those years. I have been so incredibly blessed and thank God for all of that and in the fact that I had a job! Some of the best times were experienced behind the counter:

Amazing memories:
Countless lid throwing wars/whip cream wars (ask Vianca I sprayed it into her hair bun); dance parties in the backroom; mocha explosions that end up with mocha all over your face, hair, arms, and clothes; one time I went to put whip on a caramel frapp and it exploded in my face… I mean it covered my entire face…I was wearing glasses that day and when I took them off all you could see were my eyes… so great; and so many other times that end with you laughing so hard your stomach hurts and you can't breathe.

The wonderful friends I made and the friends I had but made those relationships so much sweeter... just to name a few:
Angela- She is the one who first got me the job, out of all the years I worked there, we worked together 3.5 of those. I ended up at the same store as her, we opened together Monday through Friday for 3 months straight. We had 4am chats and they were amazing. God glorifying discussions and discipleship took place every single morning. Our friendship has blossomed so much from that time the Lord provided. Such a blessing!


The Felten Clan- goodness how I love all these guys! They are like family to me :)




I look back on how much I have grown up and changed over these years! Through some experiences at starbucks God has used them to mold me into the woman He wills me to be, I am so happy!

Although I won’t be asking if you’d like room for cream anymore… I am going to miss those I worked with, and the spectacular customers I met there! Time to retire that green apron.



My entire life is changing right now, from a new job as Assistant Director of care&recreation at Mission Hills Christian School down to my friends and people in my life. I am so excited for this new chapter and season in life. I praise You oh Lord for all You do in my life.

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 118: 1

-And take my life, let it be everything, all of me

Here I am, use me for Your glory

In everything I say and do, let my life honor You

Here I am living for Your glory

The road I’m on that leads nowhere without You

And the life I live that finds meaning and surrender

In view of God’s mercy, I offer my all

Seeking first the Kingdom of my Lord-

Jehovah Sabaoth

I need to pray and wait on God.

I need not to want my will for my life,

but want the will of God for my life.

-for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God- Romans 3:23

Precious Lord give me patience. For you are my stronghold.

-The LORD [is] good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.- Nahum 1:7

Your will is perfect for my life. You know my rising

up and my lying down.

-You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For [there is] not a word on my tongue, [But] behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.- Psalm 139:1-3

Your divine providence in life is perfect and You oh Lord know when. 

Jehovah Sabaoth- The Lord of Hosts of heaven will always fullfill His purposes, even when the hosts of His earthly people fail.

-The LORD of hosts [is] with us; The God of Jacob [is] our refuge. Selah- Psalm 46:7

Saved by Grace by such Sovereign God.

		"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
		not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
		whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
		that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:3-7 God in my laughing  There in my weeping  God in my hurting  God in my healing Be my everything  Be my everything  Be my everything  Be my everything  Christ in me  Christ in me  Christ in me the hope of glory  You are everything

1920's Murder Mystery Party

We had a party for Jordan, Adam, and Chelsea to celebrate their birthdays! The party was a hit... check out this video.

Walk By the Fruits.

" 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

Galatians 5:13-26

Greg Laurie said, “If you are a Christian, then people should be able to look for—and find—fruit in your life. Why? Because a disciple of Jesus Christ will produce spiritual fruit. Jesus said, " 'My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father'" (John 15:8 NLT). Jesus also said, "'By their fruits you will know them'" (Matthew 7:20 NKJV).”

The Bible gives us different pictures as to what "bearing fruit" means. For example, praising and thanking God is a way of bearing fruit in our lives. Hebrews 13:15 says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name". When you praise God, that is bearing fruit. We don't praise God only when we are in the mood. Rather, we praise God because He is worthy of our praise. Our word, "worship," comes from the old English form, worthship. We praise that which is worthy. Therefore, we don’t praise God because we feel like it. We praise God because He deserves our praise. When we do this, we are bearing fruit. What we say is also a type of fruit in our lives. Jesus said, "'A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. Whatever is in your heart determines what you say'" (Luke 6:45). When you are a true Christian, it will be reflected by what you say. This is bearing fruit as well.

John Piper brings up another topic I want to be more knowledgeable about. "God never urges himself to be good," said Edward Carnell in Christian Commitment. Because he is good. That is, his nature always inclines irresistibly toward righteousness. God is never torn by evil motives. God is light and in him is no darkness at all. So he does not need to be reminded about the duty of his deity. No one needs to say, "Now today, God, mind your manners, do what's right, avoid evil, remember the ten commandments." When a person is good from root to branch, he does not need to be told to be good. His goodness grows like fruit on a tree. This means that Galatians 5, along with the whole New Testament, stands as a perpetual reminder of our moral depravity. God never urges himself to be good, but he never ceases to urge us to be good. And so he testifies continually to us that we are not good—the root is not wholly pure. Do we spontaneously and naturally and consistently humble ourselves and serve others in meekness and kindness? Do right attitudes and actions come out of us as naturally as light and heat come out of the sun? We know they don't. God knows they don't. And so we must be reminded of what is right—what it is that can keep you from inheriting the kingdom.

They are both so correct, He never ceases to urge us to be good. If we walk in the Spirit and live by the fruits of the Spirit; which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, we would automatically produce fruit. I definitely struggle with self-control in silly things that don’t matter, that is definitely something I would love to obtain, and having peace knowing everything is in His control. Also steering clear works of the flesh... For acts like that do not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Sincerely knowing God as our Savior and Lord, and having a deep relationship with Christ we should have fruit produced within our lives. Living a life and having a mind set of thoughts that Honor and Glorify God in everything will produce this fruit. I like how he says We don't praise God only when we are in the mood. Rather, we praise God because He is worthy of our praise. I love this. Our Adonai is so so good and worthy of our Praise!

Seven Times Perfection.