Day 16 {a song that makes me cry}

Well, I think I have to make that two. ;) 

"There Will be a Day" - Jeremy Camp

(the audio isn't the best...but this was an Eden Prairie, MN concert...very close to our old house. ;) Had to post it )

"Call my Name" - Third Day

I love these songs. The last few years, 2010 in particular, have been very hard. To tell the truth, I don't have any friends anywhere around my age here - they're all out-of-state (haven't seen them in six years) so listening to songs like these has been a comfort. I mean, come one - this is my senior year of high school and my first year of college - yet I haven't been able to have that "golden time" with my friends. My high school years have been the hardest years of my life. It's been a great lesson of trusting in the Lord, but wow is it hard. Music is always a comfort to me, so listening to solid songs like these is such a blessing.

All my Blogger friends have been a great encouragement, too (whether they know it or not! ;)  ) - May Amelia, Caroline, Lauren, Emily Grace, and so many others have been a blast to email and follow. (So thank you guys for being awesome! ;)  )

Anyway, those are the songs that make me cry.

Day 7 {five things i couldn't live without}

1. First and foremost, I couldn't live without the Lord. (Literally, spiritually, emotionally...in everything) In this first one I'll include my wonderful, wonderful church and my wonderful Dad (who also happens to be my pastor. ;)  ) The encouragement that the true believers in our church are to all of us is wonderful. Though we are very small, there is peace in our midst and it is a blessing.

          Even though princes sit and talk against me,

         Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

     2.  Second would have to be my camera. My camera is the biggest way in which I express myself -     and if I didn't have it...well, that'd be pretty sad. ;) (I can't wait to get the Canon EOS 60D!!!!!)

     3.  Third...my laptop. So many of my responsibilites are on the laptop (college, blog design, etc.).

     4.  Music. Without a doubt. Our family loves, loves, LOVES music. ;) Just two days ago, actually, I was given the CD Revaltion by Third Day (I've wanted this CD for a long time!) When I was listening to it, I was so amazed by how all the songs can relate to me now, in what I'm going through. The Lord often uses the power of music to encourage His children, and that is what this CD (and the rest of my music!) does for me.

It's been so long since
You felt like you were loved
So what went wrong
But do you know
There's a place where you belong
Here in My Arms

Chorus:
When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
It seems like no one in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there

The pain inside
Has erased your hope for love
Soon you will find
That I'll give you all
That your heart could ever want
And so much more

Chorus:

You just call My name
You just call My name
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive
Call My name say it now
I want you to never doubt
The love I have for you is so alive

You just call My name
You just call My name
You just call My name


The love I have for you is so alive
The love I have for you is so alive
You just call My name
You just call My name
You just call My name

   5.  Alright. Now I could live without my blogs and wonderful followers - but man, am I grateful to have you all! I'm very honored to think that 29 people are interested enough in my life and photography - and some of you I've become good friends with! (Well, as much as you can on the internet! ;)  ) But seriously, I've really enjoyed the experience and I am looking forward to many more blogging years. ;)

The Tongue Can Be So Wicked

¹¹ Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. ¹² There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

-James 4:11-12

 

The Untamable Tongue

 ¹ My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ² For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3

 

I Know, I Know... =)

I know that I just re-did my blog...but I just had to do it again. ;) I don't know - after doing blog makeovers for other girls, it kinda made me want to redo mine!

So, do you like it?

 One more thing I wanted to post that has been a great encouragement to me and my family recently -

I am broken
I am bleeding
I am scared and I’m confused
But You are faithful
Yes you are faithful

I am weary
Unbelieving
God please help my unbelief
Cuz You are faithful
Yes you are faithful

I will proclaim it to the world
I will declare it to my heart
Sing it when the sun is shining
I will scream it in the dark

You are faithful
You are faithful
When You give and when You take away
Even then still your name remains
Faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You are faithful

I am waiting for the rescue
That I know is sure to come
Cuz You are faithful
Yes You are faithful

I’ve dropped anchor in Your promises
And I am holding on
Cuz You are faithful
God, You are faithful

I will proclaim it to the world
I will declare it to my heart
Sing it when the sun is shining
I will scream it in the dark

You are faithful
You are faithful
When You give and when You take away
Even then still your name remains
Faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You’re faithful
So faithful

When I cannot have the answers
And I’m wanting to demand
I’ll remember you are God
And everything is in Your hands

With Your hands you put the sun and moon
And stars up in the sky
For the sake of love
You hung your own Son on the cross to die

You are faithful
Yes, You are faithful
When You give; when You take away
Even then great is your faithfulness
Great is your faithfulness
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You are faithful
Ohhh
When You give and when You take away
Even then still your name is
Faithful
You are faithful
And with everything inside of me
I am choosing to believe
You are faithful

- Faithful {Steven Curtis Chapman}


 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
         But the LORD helped me.
 The LORD is my strength and song,
         And He has become my salvation.
      
 The voice of rejoicing and salvation
         Is in the tents of the righteous;
         The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.

Psalm 118:13-155

I Love My Parents and My Church

It was the day the world went wrong
I screamed til my voice was gone
And watched through the tears as everything
came crashing down
Slowly panic turns to pain
As we awake to what remains
and sift through the ashes that are left
behind

But buried deep beneath
All our broken dreams
we have this hope:

Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning, beauty will rise

So take another breath for now,
and let the tears come washing down,
and if you can't believe I will believe
for you.

Cuz I have seen
the signs of spring!
Just watch and see:

Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning...

I can hear it in the distance
and it's not too far away.

And the heavens will praise your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them. - Psalm 89:5-9

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there  shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." - Revelation 21:4-5

When Peace Like a River…

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

I love this hymn. It is such an encouragement to me.