A Place to Commune, Collect and Capture

Before Sunday meets us with her bright glimmering (hopefully) rays of light let us have a Place to come each morning to remember our commitment to encouragement... a place to rest our thoughts and capture our hearts on paper. I have two resting places in mind... one for you to sit, commune and collect and another for you to capture... a quiet place for you to be still in communion with your Father and in collecting all of your hearts lingering reflections and a place with in that place to capture them for future reflection. Seriously, find a quiet place in your home just for you and then find a place, a journal or notebook to capture. Don't run out and buy a journal or new pretty notebook unless you want to of course. Use your current journal, make a journal with paper and stamps and other embellishments or just grab a little folder and hide some paper with in it. Don't focus to much on the "appearance" but rather the purpose. With in your notebook/journal if you want you can slip, glue or mold these pages:

30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge for Wives
Journal Pages
30 Day Husband Encouragement Calendar

These are not necessary but can definetly be helpful. I love the calendar. Keep this little notebook of yours accesible for you to continue to capture during this challenge. I have no doubt that it will serve to encourage you during and after this journey... be creative... pour your heart into these pages through the love ink left behind.

I really find it encouraging to keep a little 'LOVE JOURNAL' if you will to just record my thoughts. I am seriously considering making this husband encouragement challenge a continual thing to keep me accountable, thinking about every 3 months... so the next one would be in May. Now I plan on continueing to live out my calling as a wife on a daily basis but every 3 months to really focus and record...

Today, if you are able, find some time to fast and pray. Here are some really good articles on fasting and praying:

Guidelines for Effective Prayer and Fasting

Fasting Scriptures

What do I do during Fasting?

Prayers during Fasting

Father God... I thank you for this day we have been given to display Your glory and light in this dark world... I thank you for allowing us to open our eyes this morning and retrieve this gift of life, to spend with our families, to spend in service loving You with all of our heart, soul, minds and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Father I pray over each woman who has commited herself to wholeheartidly and intentionally live out her callling as a wife... grant them each humblesness as they seek to put their husbands above themselves even when their emotions tell them that maybe they are not worthy and when she feels the eyes of feminism glaring down at her, give each one the ability to forgive quickly, to love radically, to walk in faith, to speak only with gentleness and kindness, to have a spirit of submissiveness and respect, to have a joyful heart and a willingness to sacrafice her time. Father, You are good and I praise You, walk with us Lord and remind us that we are continually in Your presence and remind us of the significance of what we are doing in our roles as wives. In the name of Jesus... Amen.

JOYfully in Him,

Overflowing with thankfulness

This morning I find myself becoming overwhelmed by Him and His continual presence in my life as a wife, mother and homekeeper. Tuesday I heard His voice loud and clear...

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him,
rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Col 2:6-7

Imagine if we were to truly on a daily continual basis live in Him... being rooted and built up in Him that we would be daily strengthend in the faith and the overflowing with thankfulness that would spring forth from the broken gates of surrender! Today I am thankful for...

*children... they are a blessing from the Lord!
*stations of encouragement found through out our house
*moments of difficult but sweet correction
*surrender in a stubborn heart
*humbleness with in a marriage
*the work of the Spirit among the hearts of young people
*courage to speak the truth
*voices to remind us of the suffering and glory
*a husband that isn't content with wasting time for the gospel

May I continue to live in Him today and overflow with a heart of thankfulness... He is good.

JOYfully in Him,

Preparing for Battle

Okay, it is 4 days until the 30 day Husband Encouragement Challenge. On February 1st, which is a Sunday, we will enter our first “official” day of encouragement. For the next 2 days I want to encourage you to be examining yourself in light of scripture in your walk as a created helpmeet for the man in your life. Consciously observe, if that is possible from the inside out, your behavior, your reactions in certain situations, your demeanor and body language… notice your struggles, your weaknesses, your desires and convictions. Set a piece of paper aside with a pen (a journal if you like) and as you become aware of certain things, take some time to write them down so that in the future you can look over them, bring them God and surrender them to His Lordship. Be careful not to allow deceit and excuses to hinder you from the full freedom of surrender in admitting where you fall short and where His Spirit is needed to fill in. During this time put your pride-guard down and allow Him to consume you and overtake any of those areas. Glance sincerely into the eyes of your heart and view yourself through the lens of Christ.

On Friday the 30th, this Friday, I am encouraging you, strongly encouraging you (if you are able to that is) to spend some time in prayer and fasting. Take your list and your heart and get on the ground in humbleness to your Father in seeking His guidance and strength for this journey to die in order to love more fully as Christ. I don’t think we completely understand what weight our calling as a wife has on the glory of Christ… if only we would grasp it more fully and think on it more often. In this time that you set apart focus on your role in the marriage… ask God to give you wisdom in all of your areas and guidance… pray for Him to show you the doors, the way of escape in times of weakness and temptation to fall short and give in… commit yourself to self sacrificing love… to endurance… to forgiveness… to humility… to joyful service… and reliance on His power alone working through you. Know that when I say time set apart I don’t necessarily mean for you to spend the day or hours on your knees in your room while your family starves but more internally as you continue to serve and love, but if it is possible I think it would be great if you could steal some truly “set apart time” on your knees hidden in your room, closet or bathroom. This is serious God honoring business and we need to be prepared for the battles that will come through our strivings to be a wife that defies the culture because through that HE.WILL. BE. GLORIFIED. And he will set out to stop us dead in our tracks, cause us to doubt, set up stumbling blocks and our hearts and minds better be ready to fight his schemes to steal His glory. Things will happen to cause you to doubt your mission these next 30 day but in each of these it is vital to remember where your strength is found and where your confidence is and that is in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… we may stumble and fall but we stand on a Solid Rock that can not be moved! We are covered in grace… so keep walking in faith… pick up that Sword…

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11

Saturday I will post more thoughts on details…please in this post let me know (if you haven't already) if you are up for the challenge… so that we can share in a sweet fellowship and encouragement.

JOYfully in Him,

Memory Monday: Proverbs 31:10-31

By the suggestion of my beloved I will be treasuring...

The Woman Who Fears the LORD

An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than(B) jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand tothe poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

I pray that I can diligently work on meditating and memorizing these verses from His word.

JOYfully in Him,

Monday Beginnings

God has been teaching me so many things since our big move last month, many things. Revealing dark shadows lingering around in my heart, inconsistences in my daily life as a wife, mother and homekeeper and more and more of His grace. My heart is on fire to surrender ALL for Him. In the last couple of weeks He has been bringing things together for me. It is hard to explain and I don't have time to, the early morning is slipping away and will soon be overtaken by little people. He has encouraged me in these 4 areas that I will be commiting wholeheartedly to Him... I will briefly explain....

1. TIME... I have been longing to get up early each morning to have my own quiet time with the Lord and to prepare for each day. While checking some blogs I ran across this , then this ,then this on time and was convicted further and then providencially found this. What a cool thought! I could do that and so I began with ideas when a few days later I found the 5:16 Club... an anwser to prayers. I need encouragement!! At least to get me started again. I love the Ephesians 5:15-16 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." It is just amazing how God put all of the things together to encourage me to do just that... make the best us of my time.

2. CIRCUMSTANCES. Soveriegnty of God in the big and little, global and personal happenings of life... lately piering in on others lives and dealing with my own set of circumstances as well as thinking of the world, Christian persecution, suffering and economic issues I have been thinking a lot about the soveriegnty of God in all these things... mostly in the bad things. Why? is a question that unfailingly floats through my head and while I can understand or accept then to a degree it still finds me at times struggling... so by the grace of God I one day feel upon a book study that The Preachers Wife is hosting called Spectacular Sins by John Piper. I knew it was not an accident that I just happened to find this blog and this study... so I picked the book up while out one day and just the intro has me gripped at knowing more of Him so that I can be strengthened for things to come... for they will come.

3. MARRIAGE. I have recognized my own sinful and rebellious behavior as a wife lately... I have allowed myself to be decieved in ruling over my husband. It was a slow fade that took place over months. I have been stubborn in surrendering my pride over to Him with my submission and respect towards my husband. I through the grace of God finally broke down and surrendered. I am going to "host" a little (if anyone wants to join) 30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge here starting on Feb. 1st. My aim is to put my husband above myself, to exhaust myself in serving him, loving him, encouraging him, honoring him, to display and keep the perspective of our marriage being the covenant of Christ and the church to outsiders looking in (especially my children), me displaying the church and to encourage other wives in this calling of being a wife to His ultimate glory.

4. MEMORIZATION. Something that has been severly lacking in my daily life is the memorizing of God's word, the treasuring of His holy word in my heart. I have tasted it's sweetness many times but have simply allowed my laziness and unfaithfulness to swallow up this joyful discipline of hiding God's word in my heart. I am going to again make a commitment to hide the scriptures away in my heart to carry with me in times of trials and temptations and in times of rejoicing and worship. Each week I will hide a new verse away and will be visiting The Simple Wife each Monday participating in Memory Monday's to fellowship with others in this discipline.

JOYfully in Him,

Today...

I am reminded this morning that she will only be small for so long, under my feet for a brief moment as we sit in the first sun lit rays of the morning... dance to the music across the cold floor... discuss the wanderings of our kitty and admire the candy on the counter... as I listen to little sighs... early morning smiles... dangling feet from highchair... sleepy eyes lost in thoughts...

This morning I can see the small things that I take for granted each morning... I am reminded of how precious time is and that it is a gift... this is easily forgotten each morning as I focus on the unimportant... today I look above, keep my thoughts and focus there... off of earthy temporal things.

JOYfully in Him,

Where is my treasure hidden in my home?

In my home where is my heart? Where is my treasure?

"For where your treasure is there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21

I had to ask myself last night these questions after listening to a convicting sermon on the Centrality of the Home. Where have I hidden my treasures? Under my search for joy, peace, comfort... between the opinions of others, the expectations of the world... behind good behavior and a perfect home? Is that where my treasure is hidden... why my heart is tightly found wrapped around?

I realize that storing my treasures under, between and behind all these things only sets me up for failure. I am doomed to a life of frustration and emptiness.

So where is my heart? Where is my heart in disciplining my children? Keeping my home? Responding with respect to my husband?... for my own personal gain? So I can lay my head snuggly on my pillow at night free from guilt and shame? To impress? or is it to ultimately glorify God and give Him praise and honor that He deserves? To display Christ? To give a glimpse of the invisible God? Tor raise children to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength and to walk in all His ways?

My treasure should be buried deep with in the eternal glory and supremacy of Christ! Hidden in Him... in the gospel of Christ... no where else! Hidden anywhere else and the goal of righteousness is lost... Christ is not honored and glorified as He so deserves... eternal souls are lost... homes are destroyed little by little over years of daily destruction... unity of marriage is desinigrated... hearts are all ultimately left in a constant state of dispair and discontenment as the kingdom of God is lost in our minds and hearts.

The value of our treasure being in heaven is everlasting and incorruptable!!

Oh God, please bring my heart and mind into the constant subjection to Jesus Christ... hiding my treasure daily, daily in the cross of Christ! Father guide me into your holy and righteous will... shine Your light upon my path today in my home. I pray that my treasure is hidden in Christ and that I will exhaust myself for it's eternal, everlasting and incorruptable value. Oh, in the moments when perspective is hard to see, where everything seems upon my head and I can feel the weight of sin on me may I remember where my treasure is hidden... not in temporal fleeting things and opinion but in the eternal... in heaven, with Christ.

JOYfully in Him,

30 Days of Encouragement

Oh the calling of being a helpmeet! Oh how enduring and selfless it is and completely against my very nature... and not to mention culture. The curse that fell upon us when Eve sinned in rebellion agains't God has been nipping at my heels, not actually... honestly the curse has been upon my head sinking it's teeth in deep. Listen to what the word says in Genesis...

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." (2:18)

God created us to be our husband's helper, a perfect fit for that special man in our lives. It is amazing for me to think about the reality of that... that I was created, made, formed me in the womb for him... divinely designed me to perfectly fit the man he created and formed in the womb. Amazing!! Since we, no before we were born or conceived we were designed exactly for eachother... perfectly formed in every way even though it doesn't feel like it some times :0).

Now listen to what God said to the woman after the fall...

"I will surely mulitiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." (3:16, emphasis added)

The word desire is the same word used in Genesis 4:7 of the same desire of sin to master over cain. Wow!

“As a result of the fall, man no longer rules easily; he must fight from his headship. Sin has corrupted both the willing submission of the wife and the loving headship of the husband. The woman’s desire is to control her husband (to usurp his divinely appointed headship), and he must master her, if he can. So the rule of love founded in paradise is replaced by struggle, tyranny and domination.” (Susan T. Foh, cited in Boice)

So in light of Eve's sin that cursed us all and daily crouches at our door... I am going to begin on February 1st the Husband Encouragement Challenge... in a way to rule over it. In this challenge I want you to join me... join me in ruling over this curse of ours! Let me know if you would like to walk closely with the Father and His Son as I seek to encourage and simply love my husband. I will post details later.

JOYfully in Him,

Being Still, Waiting for the Lord

We are back from our Youth Trip... and I have so much I want to share but first I have something on my heart that I want to share today:

I was very encouraged from a section in a book I am reading titled Keep a Quiet Heart by Elisabeth Elliot and I want to share it with you: (this is in honore of a beautiful friend of mine)

The section is titled Waiting...

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" Psalm 27:14

Waiting requires patience-a willingness calmly to accept what we have or have not, where we are or where we wish we were, whomever we live or work with.

To want what we don't have is impatience, for one thing, and it is to mistrust God. Is He not in complete control of all circumstances, events, and conditions? If some are beyond His control, He is not God.

A spirit of resistance cannot wait on God. I believe it is this spirit which is the reason for some of our greatest sufferings. Opposing the workings of the Lord in and through our "problems" only exacerbates them. It is HERE and NOW that we must win our victories or suffer defeats. Spiritual victories or suffer defeats. Spiritual victiories are won in the quiet acceptance of ordinary events, which are God's "bright servants," standing all around us.

Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has ALL things safely in His hands. "Peace I leave with you; I do not give to you as the world gives" John 14:27. What sort of peace has He to give us? A peace which was constant in the midst of ceaseless work (with few visible rsults), frequient interuptions, impatient demands, few physical comforts; a peace which was not destroyed by arguments, the faithlessness, and hatred of other people. Jesus had perfect confidence in His Father, whose will He had come to accomplish. Nothing touched Him without His Father's permission. Nothing touches me without my Father's permission. Can I not then waith patiently? He will show the way.

If I am willing to be still in my Master's hand, can I not then be still in everything? He's go the whole world in His hands! never mind whether things come from God himself or from people-everything comes by His ordination or permission. If I mean to be obedient and submissive to the Lord because He is my Lord, I must not forget that whatever He allows to happen becomes... for me... His will at that moment. Perhaps it is someone else's sinful action, but if God allows it to affect me, He wills it for my learning. The need to wait is, for me, a form of chastening. God has to calm me down, make me shut up and look to him for the outcome.

"Trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." Prov. 18:10

As we all sit in the moment of His will for us may we all like Mary say with boldness and deep conviction "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Luke 1:38 and may we be enabled to be more closely united with His will as Jesus "...not as I will, but as you will." Matthew 26:39. May all fear and worry be drowned out as we safely trust in His will for our lives knowing that His is best.

JOYfully in Him,

New Friends and Youth Trip

Last night we spent a very blessed evening with a family that the Lord has providentially set in our path, through friend, family and the internet. We were able to listen to this friend sing his heart out to God... praise God for this family.



This morning we are packing up a church van to set out for Fort Worth Texas... to attend Winterfest. I am very much excited to spend some quality time (6-7 hours drive) with the youth group, worship together, experience poverty and God's love together as we team up with our past youth group in Mesquite Texas to feed the homelesss and the spend Sunday with friends we left behind. God is so good, after all the mourning of leaving them He enables us to visit so soon! Thank you Lord for the privilege.

Today you have been given a priceless and very precious gift... time... savor it and spend it wisely...

JOYfully in Him,

Grateful, Patience and Love

So I set my alarm clock for 5:30 this morning with the most sincere intentions to abruptly disturb my peaceful sleep and join in the celebration of a new day, but it didn't happen. I waited instead for the coffee alarm to draw me into celebration at 6:00. I am so reluctant to feel "misery" in the first 10-15 minutes of consciousness. Sitting at my place of quiet time I found Him there waiting for me... He gently spoke... patience... today seek Me and find my patience through a grateful heart and you will reap the reward of LOVE. I sat in a state of peace and comfort as what He was relaying to me was the lesson my husband so boldy taught to the youth last night. Love... but I can't I reply... not at all like I should nor like I so desperately want... like Christ... but there is hope and there is victory... thanks be to God. The ultimate gratefulness reaps ultimate love, Christ.

Today... grab ahold of each moment and thank Him for the gift... patience (that virtue that all mothers seek but seldom find) will follow closely in the shadows... and then LOVE will blossom with a sweet aroma... and Christ will be more visually experienced in their eyes through the heart and actions of their mother... YOU.

JOYfully in Him,

True Womanhood

Yesterday I posted all of Biblical Womanhood by Voddie Bauchman and today I am going to post some things on True Womanhood, which is the same basic principle. This last week God has been working on my heart for my home and my amazing family, teaching me things and simply reminding me of things that I have forgotten... sigh. With the chaos of life lately, as to be expected with a big move, I have simply put my priorities of being a collection of mother, wife and housekeeper on a high out of reach out of sight shelf in my heart so that I did not have to constantly be reminded of all of there responsiblities that take so much of my time and energy... again... sigh... a big... SIGH. The Lord, because of my extreme self centeredness and lack of faith, has not been able to work on me. I have to tell you... I am glad to be back! I am beginning to feel more like myself although maybe not completely act like myself. When in a new place surrounded by new faces I tend to become introverted and intimidated. I hide. I retreat within and observe for awhile... I am working on this! It is something that unfortunetly comes naturally... and so fighting it has to be a very conscious and painful thing.

I am seeing the faces that make me draw outside of myself, praise God. I prayed a lot before we moved that He would reveal those faces and hearts that would connect and mingle well with my own. That our hearts for our callings as a wife, mother, teacher and homekeeper would be like a strong magnetic force... not to be messed with! :0) I am finding them. I am enjoying the near family experience, which is new. It is nice to see them, enjoy worshiping together and visiting. I will admit... I am selfish with my time with my family... and reluctant to give up my time, my normal set in my ways time and routine. Change is good. Family is good.

Anyway, what I briefly wanted to post is this...

The Ultimate Meaning of True Womanhood

Take some time, when God blesses you with it, to listen to John Piper explain and encourage us in the ultimate meaning of true womanhood. I don't know about you but I need a lot of encouragement in this high and holy but often looked down upon and difficult calling.

Also when time allows read this: The True Woman Manifesto.

JOYfully in Him,

Biblical Womanhood

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive on their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5

This morning as God encouraged me I long to encourage you with this series from Voddie Bauchman on Biblical Womanhood.

Part 1...



and Part 2...



Part 3...



Part 4...



Part 5...



Part 6...


Part 7...



Part 8...



I know 8 segments of almost 10 minutes each seems intimidating but I assure you that a piece at a time and it is worth the listen.

Striving to live more and more...
JOYfully in Him,

A New Day

The dark clouds around my heart and clearing... light is begining to shine through in small radiant rays bringing forth joy and praise.

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me, therfore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!"
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.
The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Psalm 116:1-9

Oh praise Him for His steadfast love that endures forever!



Constantly seeking to be more...

JOYfully in Him,

Encouragement and Thankfulness

Lately life has felt more like death, light has appeared more like darkness and softness has felt more like sand paper against my skin. Yesterday and today has been a deep time of reflection in my faith. Where I am right now I find little security and little joy as my emotions continue to struggle with seperation and bitterness. I desperately want to embrace my Father's will as Mary but find little strength from with in to grip her kind of faith. I love the Lord and long to be His consecrated servant.

This morning He spoke to me through His word... comforting and encouraging me to remember and faithfully walk...

Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58

His words are a balm to my soul...

Today I must share how greatly thankful I am for the stronghold in my life that He sent to me many years ago. My husband is for me a constant reminder of His grace, His love and His sacrafice as I watch him serve the Lord and take daily walks through his heart as we talk and as he constantly encourages me to be a faithful servant of Christ. For me my husband though he doesn't see it truly represents Christ to me in so many ways. Thank you, for always being so honest with me and pouring your heart out over me in love and just for you being you.

JOYfully in Him,

Doxology-David Crowder

JOYfully in Him,

A New Year Resolution

Oh for holiness!
Oh for more of God in my soul!
Oh this pleasing pain!
It makes my soul press after God.
-David Brainerd

I have been blessed, we have been blessed with a new year, a new year to glorify our God, to be a living sacrafice for Him. What a gift. I pray that this new year will be a year of consecration, of holiness. I seek joy on a daily basis, but what I should be seeking is holiness, is more of Him and less of me and in that there I will find joy, a joy that can be found no where else.

"To pursue holiness is to move toward joy-joy infinitely greater than any earthly delights can offer.

To resist holiness or to be halfhearted about its pursuit is to forfeit true joy and to settle ofr something less than that God intoxication for which we were created." *

I have been resisting holiness, had a halfheart in my pursuit and therefore forfeiting true joy... daily settling for less. I am tired of holding on to my sin and unholiness and long to give it all to Him no matter how painful, uncomfortable or radical it may be... He is not only worth it but deserving of ALL of me.

But as he who called you is holy,
you also be holy in all your conduct,
since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."
1 Peter 1:15-16

A prayer* for the new year...

Oh, God,
show me more of Your holiness.
Show me more of my sinfulness.
Help me to hate sin and to love righteousness as You do.
Grant me a deeper conviction of sin
and a more thorough spirit of repentence.
And make me holy as You are holy.

*Holiness, Nancy Leigh Demoss

JOYfully in Him,