Currently Listening Carried Along By Andrew Peterson see related

Renewal of LIFE

Well, it has definatly been awhile since I checked on this websight. I am now living in Austria, which is incredible. There have so many changes in my life, it often seems unreal - but soo good. The Lord i healing me of many things everyday - and I am ever moved by Him. It has been kinda crazy for because, I feel like the last year I was living in this "life robotics" state. In January the Lord took me to Jamaica, and there it was as if He woke me up and filled me with His Spirit. The consequental conversion has been so difficult, but so beautiful. In these attempts to not merely exist, but to truly live - I find myself ever in the Cross of Christ. In seeking balance in my life, between music, friends, school work, travel and the Lord - I am continually learning what it means to live and to love...That I may LIVE IN LOVE. hmmmm, hmmmm.

St. Therese, pray for me...

"Many ideas are briefly entertained by the mind without ever penetrating the heart. But those ideas that do grasp us in our innermost parts are the ideas that shape our lives."  -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

yo...

Well, I havent really been able to sleep that well lately...So, basically i'm up till like 3 and then I dont wake up until like 10 or 11...which stinks, bc my favorite time of the day is daybreak (early morning).

ive been listening to tracy chapman, pretty much nonstop for like a week. she is so awesome. i love her NEW BEGINNINGS album. i picked it up like 4 years ago in like san diego or soemthing at some cheap used cd shop, when my dad and i were down there looking at colleges. crazy.

anyways, today i hung out with adrianne - the first time just us - in like 3 or 4 years. it was unreal. she and ihave been friends since we were old enough to have friends (5? 4?) and like...not having her around the past years has been one of the hardest and most endearing things ive gone through. its such an answer to prayers that our friendship has been rekindled. Adrianne, "adda" - is someone that i just naturally connect with. like, its proably one of the most natural relationship's i have ever and will ever be in. which i am like, thank you Jesus, thank you momma Mary - amen amen amen.

we all (brian, april, nessa, adda and i) went out for sushi tonight. i hadnt been since ive been home and it was FABULOUS. i was like, "YES!" ... conversation was rockin. then we went to bry's casa and like april busted out the guitar, it was sweet. april you are incredible. God has given you wonderful gifts!

currently listening to: THE PROMISE, By: Tracy chapman (some surprise, i know)....i totally relate to this song right now...its unreal

talked to one of my really close friends from NET today (my "morty"...Rick...:)...). hadnt talked with him since, our closing banquet. i totally felt like it was a huge blessing from Our Lord. the conversation, even though short - brought me such joy. God is incredibly generous.

well, derrick and i start recording thursday or something - if God still wants me too...

still reading "CHOOSING GODS BEST"... ABSORBING IT...enjoying it...soaking it up....

a few quotes....from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"The greatest attraction between a man and a woman - even greater than apparel, makeup and hair style- is shared conversation. The deeper the conversation, the deeper the attraction." from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

..."few recognize the dangers of becoming one spiritually with someone other than their future spouse. Bc we are spiritual beings on a human journey, spiritual intimacy is the first and deepest level of a relationship. OUr wholeness in this area must be reserved for the mate GOD selects..." from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

" This desire can cause problems when 2 people in a relationship aim their spiritual growth sideways instead of upward."    -      from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"Rationalization is a monumental problem for many people but particulatly for CHristians. Under pressure we can make all kinds of excuses to rationalize immoral behavior."  -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"...we have an intimate fellowship with God and seek first to please Him, we will have more motivation to live a pure life. Obedience is how we show God we love HIm, and the obedience must always come before understanding..." -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"In a kingdom of courtship, the primary reason for marriage should be the conviction that a particular match is God's choice for you - not jsut a good choice, but God's choice... ... ... The cheif enemy you will fight in choosing GOd's best will be your own strong inclination to make a good choice instead of a God choice."  -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"We have to wait until they are ready (or until we are) before God can give us the go-ahead...... .... God always save His best for those who are willing to wait for it, but when we fail tow ait, we are out of God's will. Even when we do the right thing out of GOd's timing, it's still disobedience adn will bring frustration and confusion to what could have been a blessing. THe right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. "   -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"Many ideas are briefly entertained by the mind without ever penetrating the ehart. But those ideas that do grasp us in our innermost parts are the ideas that shape our lives."  -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

"If you let yurself live in 'what ifs' of the future, youll find yoruself mission God's purpose in the here and now" -    from "Choosing God's Best" - By: Dr. Don Rannikar

Currently Listening New Beginning By Tracy Chapman see related

- Save a Place

http://www.about-tracy-chapman.net/debutalbum_lyrics.htm#ifnotnow

http://www.about-tracy-chapman.net/newbeginning_lyrics.htm#saveaplace

"Truth is not one of several alternatives one might or might not embrace according to one's personal preferance." -Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

Hey there ya'll. So, I am reading CHOOSING GOD'S BEST - by Dr. Don Rannikar and it is rocking my face off. I am realizing my mistakes in the past and seeing a lot of truth in this book...It's really cool. Thank you Mr. Heil/Suzanne Heil for giving it to me last summer. Ecc 3:1 Anyways, I just got off work from Porfi's and I am going to go with Sara and praise the Lord, go to Adoration, get some dessert somewhere - ??? I dunno, but it's be awesome.

God is so good. Today during my personal prayer, I meditated on two seperate scripture passages - Luke 1:39-45 and Psalm 23. Now, pretty much most Christians are familiar with Psalm 23. And I know that I know it very well; I actually remember meditating on it about two years ago in my personal prayer. The things that the Lord was speaking to me then through it, are so differant than now. BUt anyways, the first verse really touched my soul in a special way today. "The Lord is my Shepard, there is nothing I lack." Woah. No thing I lack. It really tied into Luke 1, because Mary truly trusted/trusts in the Lord like NO other person ever has. She is in total surrender and line with the will of God at all times. I mean, even Elizabeth said, "Blessed are you who believed what was spoken to youu by the Lord would be fufilled." Lk 1:45 Mary totally trusted in the Lord. Something that is also very beautiful about this passage is we see how the Holy Spirit is the inseperable Spouse of the Holy Virgin. People are filled with the Holy Spirit - wherever Mary goes.*

Anyways, a few neat quotes from Choosing God's Best... Gen 2:24, Ps 27:14, jer 29:11, gal 5:22-23, gen 2:18,

"God calls His people to a higher standard than the standard of the world. The basic deman of a Christian is the demand to be courageously differnt." -Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

"Let your heart take courage so you can resist following your own schedual and timing rather than God's, so you can resist the pressure of other people's attirtudes and opinions, and so you can resist your won fear of failing to find a relationship."-Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

"If you were satan, how would you tempt a person to sin? Youd probable take a legitimate need and encourage them to meet it in a illegitimate way."-Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

"God always saves His best for those who are willing to wait for it. That's when the Holy Spirit comes and leads us out of the old life and into a new and better one. Are you willing to wait for God's best?"-Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

"Truth is not one of several alternatives one might or might not embrace according to one's personal preferance." -Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

"In the middle of such massive changes in our culture of relationships one thing has not changed: God's standards. They are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. (Heb 13:8) GOd has sent us norevisions to His original requirements for sexual purity and no ammendments to His principles. He hasn't changed HIs view on marriage, and He still believe in lifetime committment. " (Gal 6:7-8)-Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

"God's standards were intended to spare our pain, not spoil our fun." -Dr. Don Rannikar, Choosing God's Best (Wisdom for Lifelong Romance)

* - (Reading Luke 1, its also good to read Ex 40:35, 2 Sam 6:1 and tie in how Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant.)