the opposite of change.

Its sad that sometimes being home alone feels the same when there's 8 people here.
I wish things would change.

Jesus is still my hope.

xoxo.

lizzie.

I consider my life nothing.

Today has been a very hard day.
Its been tough, even from the moment I got out of bed.
It's just been "one of those days".

Normally I would be grouchy and upset and just want to curl up and go to sleep, but throughout this entire day I have felt an overwhelming calm.

There is so much wrong in this world. So much hurt. So much pain. So much sin.
It's easy to become overwhelmed with the struggles. The mountain's that keep growing and growing for years, the one's you think can't be concurred. But the pain will end, and the sorry will cease. Tears will be no more, and joy will be all there is.

I love the entire book of Acts, but chapter 20 verses 22-24 are so beautiful. "And now, compelled by the spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, in only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's Grace."

I hope that changes your perspective..your life. I know it changed mine.

Jesus really really loves you.

xoxo Lizzie.

give it all away.

Here's my question.

Why do we give our hearts away so easily. Seems like there's a new obsession on every corner. Weither thats a guy or clothes or working out..it sure seems to be true. I don't know about you, but I want to be in love with Jesus.

No matter how Godly or Truthworthy the guy or girl in your life may seem, they are still people. And people let you down. True love is an acceptance of all that is, was, and will be or will not be.

Lets just give our hearts to Jesus. For real.


xoxo.


Lizzie.

relationship.

I was raised in a home where performance was everything.
Unconditional love may have existed, but I never saw it.
Failure was met with severe consequences. Dad was my authority; that was all there was to it.
I'm not one to blame my lack of faith on circumstances, but our umbringings definitely create challenges for us.
Some of you have wounds so deep that you wonder if you'll ever be able to trust.
Perhaps you've subconsciously taken the failures from sinful human relationships and imposed those shortcomings onto a perfect God.
Now uncertainty creeps into even your relationship with God.

It is the Holy Spirit who keeps us from this path and gives us confidence so we can enjoy intimacy with our Creator.
Though I do not belive God gives us His holy Spirit solely for our personal benefit, it is undeniable that one of the greatest aspects of being in a relationship with the Holy Spirit is the intimacy, security, and encouragement He brings us.
It is then we can serve God as a beloved child..rather than a stress-out, gult ridden slave.

-Francis Chan "Forgotten God"

My Strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 has taken on a new and deeper meaning for me lately.

The Joy of the Lord is my strength.

So much in few words.

When I have no joy..I have zilcho strength. It's so clear, so obvious. Jesus Christ died and spilled HIS blood for me and the WHOLE world. If you're reading this..dance, shout, sing, and PRAISE. Jesus loves you immeasurably...be joyful!

Sometimes its easier said then done. That cruddy guy named "the devil" comes and tries to steal our Joy. Guess what? God is bigger. and stronger.

When I don't have joy, I feel so weak. But..don't believe the devil's lie! Even in that saddest of times there is ALWAYS hope. always. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord you always always always have hope. NO matter what happens, so matter what DOESN'T happen..there is ALWAYS hope. If you have NOT accepted Jesus Christ and asked Him to take the reins of your life..what are you waiting for?! A life of Joy awaits you..

Pray for the Joy of our LORD. You will be strengthend.

xoxo.

Lizzie.

healing begins.

Focus on the little things in life, the big things will just let you down.

Its so true.

A smile, a laugh, or that quick note can mean the world to someone. Passion is contagious, so let your light shine. In my life, I let so many people let me down. I focus way too much on all the "big things". In relationships, there can be hurt. That hurt isn't going to just go away. Little by little that hurt needs to be chipped away. It starts with the little things. A simple "how are you?" (a real "how are you") can bring relief. A simple way to show someone you care can create healing. A sincere apology is a promise for tomorrow. One thing is for sure: Ignoring a thorn isn't going to make the thorn go away. It just causes infection. No matter how hard it may hurt to remove that thorn, in the end..it will be better.

This is where the healing begins.



xoxo.

-lizzie.

Never A Goodbye.

I don't know what it's like to have a home.
I place that I can really call my own.
I wonder what it's like to really feel like I belong.
The only thing I can count on is my Jesus; my strenghth and my song.

Lord, You are my father, my daddy, my friend.
With you I'll never feel alone again.
You know me completely, you hear every cry.
I trust you and I believe that you'll never say good bye.

xoxo.

Lizzie.

Everything.

man.

life is a journey. that's for sure.

I love how God knows me. It's such a comfort to know that my Father knows me better than anyone else ever will. I don't have to be scared. I don't have to worry about Him disappointing me. I can trust my Father. I can give my all. I can tell Him how I feel and even when I don't understand myself..He gets it. When people fail me, my Father is right by my side..inviting me to lean on Him.

There are times of silence. There are times when the feeling of His presence knocks you to your knees and all you can do is raise your hands and praise. Regardless of our feelings, His love for us never changes. His love endures forever. forever. He accepts you as you are, but loves you too much not to have you change. But don't fear, the change is for the good. He promises he won't leave us, but sometimes we will experience pain. He is the healer of all pain. He is the Father to the fatherless. He is the savior to all who call upon His name.

He is anything and everything that You and I need.
He can do anything but fail.

Jesus really really loves you.

xoxo.

Lizzie.

untitled.

Time and Energy.
Love and commitment.

When you put these things into a relationship..it matters.
When someone completely shatters these things...its matters.

Hurt is something that's bound to happen.

Relationships nearly always have hurt. People are people..and people fail. This is probably why God tells us so many times in His word to Trust God..not man.

I don't know about you, But I'm sure praising Jesus for his unconditional, unfailing love. Jesus..well..we can trust Him. <3

xoxo

Lizzie.

All I'll Ever Need.

I opened myself to you.
Told you all my dreams, showed you all my scars.
I cried and laughed.
We were friends.
When I didn't understand, you did for me.
When I needed someone there, you were there to hold me.

You spoke about all the people that hurt you.
I told you of the pain that I still hold onto.
I thought I had a friend.
After all this time, I feel like it's finally the end.

Honesty,that's what was missing.
Eventually it all slipped away.
Now I'm here, feeling like a fool.
Looking up to you is over now.
I could cry, I could yell.
But all I can do is sit here.
silent.
Knowing that things will never be the same.

and thats ok.
Cause I've got all I'll ever need.
Right here beside me,
is a man I can always trust.
He doesn't lie.
and there's always hope.

I thought I needed you.
I worked so hard trying to make myself into the person you wanted me to be.
I wanted acceptance, I wanted to be special.
I wanted this from you.

And now all I can say is that I'm thankful God doesn't always give me what I think I want.

So, I'm just gonna keep being me.
The way God designed me to be.
No one can change that.
And you never will.

It's all over now.
I'm me and thats ok.
Cause I've got all I'll ever need.
Right here...beside me.

xoxo.

Lizzie.

Imagine.

What would this world be like if everyone was honest?

If there were no ulterior motives? No hidden feelings?

I can't wait for the day when there's no hurt. No sickness. No death. No pain.

I can only imagine.
There will be a day.

keep shining til you see HIS face.

xoxo


Lizzie.

More Like You.

I want to know You for who You are.
I need to see this world through Your eyes.
oh Jesus. Make me more like You.

Cleanse me of this world's dust and dirt.
Wash me clean. Make me shine for You.
My hearts desire is to worship You..but my own self keeps getting in the way.

Clear me out. Fill me up. Oh Jesus. Make me more like You.
This world is so full of evil and darkness.

Let your light shine on me, Oh Lord.
Shine on me.
Make me bright, all for You.
This is my desire.

Break me down, so there's nothing left but weakness.
For when I am weak, all I can do is rely on You.
You are my strength. You are my song.
Without You, I am nothing.
So wash me clean, make me shine for You.

Oh Jesus. This is my desire.

Make me more like YOU.

[xoxo. -Lizzie]

product of mercy.

I'm a product of mercy.
the target and victim of YOUR perfect love. <3

Music For The Dance

My dear friend, Stan, sent me this email--i thought it was RIGHT ON.

Music for the Dance
by Max Lucado
Let's imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing.
You take the book home and get to work. You do everything it says. The book says sway; you sway. The book says shuffle; you shuffle. The book says spin; you spin.
Finally, you think you’ve got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step.
You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, “I executed it perfectly.”
“You executed it, all right,” she sighs. “You killed it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the most important part. Where is the music?”
Music?
We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book.
Dancing with no music is tough stuff.
Jesus knew that. For that reason, on the night before his death he introduced the disciples to the song maker of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. (John 16:7–9).
Of the three persons of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is the one we understand the least. Perhaps the most common mistake made regarding the Spirit is perceiving him as a power but not a person, a force with no identity. Such is not true.
The Holy Spirit is not an “it.” He is a person. He has knowledge (1 Cor. 2:11). He has a will (1 Cor. 12:11). He has a mind (Rom. 8:27). He has affections (Rom. 15:30). You can lie to him (Acts 5:3–4). You can insult him (Heb. 10:29). You can grieve him (Eph. 4:30).
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. He is not Popeye’s spinach or the surfer’s wave. He is God within you to help you. In fact John calls him the Helper.
Envision a father helping his son learn to ride a bicycle, and you will have a partial picture of the Holy Spirit. The father stays at the son’s side. He pushes the bike and steadies it if the boy starts to tumble. The Spirit does that for us; he stays our step and strengthens our stride. Unlike the father, however, he never leaves. He is with us to the end of the age.
What does the Spirit do?
He comforts the saved. (John 16:7).
He convicts the lost. (John 16:8).
He conveys the truth. (John 16:12).
Is John saying we don’t need the book in order to dance? Of course not; he helped write it. Emotion without knowledge is as dangerous as knowledge without emotion. God seeks a balance. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
What is essential is that you know the music is in you. “If Christ is in you, then the Spirit gives you life” (Rom. 8:10). You don’t need a formula to hear it. I don’t have a four-step plan to help you know it. What I do have is his promise that the helper would come to comfort, convict, and convey.
So think about it; have you ever been comforted? Has God ever brought you peace when the world brought you pain? Then you heard the music.
Have you ever been convicted? Have you ever sensed a stab of sorrow for your actions? Then you’ve been touched by the Holy Spirit.
Or have you ever understood a new truth? Or seen an old principle in a new way? The light comes on. Your eyes pop open. “Aha, now I understand.” Ever happen to you? If so, that was the Holy Spirit conveying to you a new truth.
What do you know? He’s been working in your life already.
By the way, for those of us who spent years trying to do God’s job, that is great news. It’s much easier to raise the sail than row the boat. And it’s a lot easier getting people to join the dance when God is playing the music.
That’s what makes God, God.


(thanks Stan!)

insecurity.

What is the definition of insecurity?

I say it's not seeing ourselves as God sees us.

He created us. Made us from "dust". He see's HIS children as beautiful. As perfectly shaped and molded to live for Him. When we see ourselves as ugly, not worth it,or not "good" enough..then we aren't seeing ourselves as God sees us. God loves us just that way we are. There could never be a more beautiful you.

xoxo.

Lizzie.

the little things.

"Find joy in the little things in life. The big things just tend to disappoint us."

xoxo

Lizzie.

No Other Way In.

Some days she's just so weary.
She wants someone to hold her
and whisper in her ear, that it's all gonnna be ok.

She's leery, of everyone in sight.
They all tend to fail her
and it stings her hurting heart.

The walls around her heart, tend to be quite high.
The one who wins the key,
will have to learn to climb.

She's slow to learn, but apt to try..
She's willing, but so scared.
Scarred from the past, She seems to trust no one but Him.

So it's plain to see
the one who wins her heart will have to know the One who holds the keys..
for there is no other way in. <3

xoxo

Lizzie.

Consume Me.

I love too much
and hurt too easily.
If mistrust is a disease
then I'm dying.

Inadequacy fills up my heart
crushes my hope and flattens my faith.
I feel like its time for a fresh start.


Sometimes I wonder if things will ever change.
Is anyone willing to try?
will there ever be someone who knows me for who I am?
expectations are high, but hope tends to run dry.
I wanna be in love with You.
Consume me like a fire. Oh please, make me new.

I wanna have You on my mind all the time
sick the of the games that I've been playing.
face down, hands raised, I am praying
for the day when I can be with you forever.

My father. My friend. My savior. My lord.
you are everything to me.
To you, I am beautiful.
You're the only one that will never leave..
I believe, oh I Believe.

No Limit.

sometimes I think it'd be easier to be alone
than to carry the weight of hurt that I call my own.
cause when the person you thought cared just up and leaves
all that's left are the scars and hurts that no one sees

honesty hurts, but lies are most painful.
ashamed,confused, and scared.
the words, they cut.
the looks, they kill.
lost and alone, with no place to call home.

Here I stand, not knowing who you are anymore
I want the old you back,
but I fear you've walked out the door.

trust, what a concept.
if only it were easy.
if only the promises had been kept
then maybe my heart would be free for the taking

well there's only One who holds me and never lets go
He holds the keys to my heart and wipes the tears that I cry
He whispers comfort and tells me He loves me so
unconditional love, only He can offer
He promises He will never let me go.

So come to my Savior, my Father, my Friend,
Your heart He will mend and Grace, He promises to send.
With Him, there is so end.

For with His love there is NO limit.


xoxo

Lizzie.

blinded.

she watches the skies.
anxious, waiting,
ready to go be with the one who made her.

some days the pain pierces her heart
each day a little more dies
she's just waiting for the day when there will be no more tearful goodbyes.

all through the night she cries
does anyone hear her?

if they could just see through all the lies..


they'd see the beauty in her bright eyes.
no more tears..
healed scars.

lets break through these man-made chains and bars.

[Lord, open our eyes.]

xoxo
lizzie.