My Journey Journal

But [God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

Sometimes I’m tired.  Sometimes I want to blog, to write something encouraging; my heart wants to express things but I get tired from the mental work and the things that pull at me and chip at me.  None of it is overwhelming, individually, but collectively it can be wit-dulling and energy-sapping.  Read more... (730 words, 1 image, estimated 2:55 mins reading time)

Then David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly: “O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever!
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.
Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!
But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!
We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
“O LORD our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you!
I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
“O LORD, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes.
Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”
Then David said to the whole assembly, “Give praise to the LORD your God!” And the entire assembly praised the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they bowed low and knelt before the LORD and the king.
1 Chronicles 29:10 – 20 NLT  Read more... (1314 words, 1 image, estimated 5:15 mins reading time)

When Israel complained to Samuel about his sons being their judges they asked for a human king. God gave Israel what they wanted but He first had Samuel tell them what a human king would be like; how a king would take their things (children, servants, food, money, etc) versus how God gave them things.  Read more... (604 words, 1 image, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)

Sometimes I feel depressed and in those times, if I take a moment to consider instead of reacting to my feelings I realize that it’s my focus that’s not right.  My place, my purpose is to be a self-cognizant creation; one who isn’t self-reliant and one designed to heap praise on a being more worthy than I.  My feelings come from forgetting my place in the universe and focusing on things I cannot change.  Read more... (2237 words, estimated 8:57 mins reading time)

I’m listening to Casting Crown‘s “Voice of Truth” this Easter morning and decided to publish a post I’ve been mulling over awhile now. 

My life is for God’s glory.  Whether I fail or not, it’s for God’s glory.  Whether I choose to show the courage and stupidity to stand before things that look like giants or even if I man up and actually stand before more powerful beings, the outcome is not my own.  The battles that matter to me, to others and to God are His to fight.  I’m a bumbling idiot who would choose things that would kill me and waste my time and focus but God whispers peace to me and reminds me of what David said; the battle is the Lord’s (I Samuel 17:46-47).  God is longsuffering, He is glorious and majestic and it only seems like failure to me because I don’t have the lifespan, experience and vision to see His plan.  Read more... (762 words, estimated 3:03 mins reading time)