On Christ the solid Rock I stand

I’ve been being quite drawn to the book of Isaiah lately. This week, God showed me some stuff from chapters 31 and 32 that has really stuck with me -- stuff about Him and about me. Today I’m going to share just the first part.

The end of Isaiah chapter 31 talks about the Assyrians, who were enemies to God’s people. It foretells their ruin and how they will be defeated. Verse nine states, “His [the Assyrian’s] rock will pass away because of panic.”

When I read this verse, my immediate response was, “I’m so glad to know that my Rock will never pass away!!” Isn’t that true? God, our solid Rock, never fails and is never shaken, no matter what happens. We can always trust Him to be there for us -- He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And then I realized that too often, I look to other things in life to be a “rock” for me. Most often it’s other people. I want people to be steady and to be there for me and to meet my needs. I look to them and their approval as a source of my security and value. But people fall, and they’re shaken by circumstances, and their affections and interests change. No person can be a rock. That’s why even the Assyrian’s seemingly-solid rock was defeated when panic struck.

Sometimes I look for security in my job or my home, or in money, or in comfortable circumstances. Any of these can be things we’re guilty of holding onto, of standing on, of building our foundation upon… when in reality, Jesus is the only One worthy of that place.

Matthew 7:24-27 talks about the foundations we build our lives upon. The foolish man builds his house on the unsteady, shifting sand, and his house collapses in the storm. But the wise man builds his house on the solid Rock -- God and His words -- and his house stands, even through the fiercest storm.

If our security and our treasure is built on temporary things, it’s all going to crash one day. But if we’re standing upon the Rock of Ages and putting all our faith in Him, we don’t ever have to fear that our Rock will pass away. Because He never will.

Oh God, help me cling to You alone! Nothing else will satisfy, nothing else will save. You are the only One who will be firm and unshaken when everything else is in chaos. Help me to set my attention and affection on You. Thank You for being the Rock on which I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.

Blogging with a sinus infection = rambling.

I finally went to the doctor today... been sick since Sunday and not getting any better. So I start antibiotics for a sinus infection tonight and hopefully will be rid of this junk very soon!!

My boss has been great this week while I've been sick. He has let me take a lot of time off -- all of Tuesday, Wednesday afternoon, and Thursday morning. Therefore, I spent quite a bit of time this week lying on my couch watching movies. Thanks boss!! :-)

Now I get to spend the weekend at my family's and let them take care of me, which is nice. Nice to be taken care of and nice to be with my family.

Here's hoping I'm better and have a voice again by Sunday -- my commissioning service for serving with the NAMB is Sunday night, and I have to speak in front of the church! Still don't know what I'm gonna say yet.... should probably think about that :-)

Okay, I'll quit rambling. Have a great weekend, everyone.

it's the day of roses and hearts.

So, it's Valentines Day once again. How did I spend it? Worked alone in the office until 4... ran a couple of errands...cooked a frozen pizza for my dinner...watched a terrible movie. Oh, and I'm sick with a cold, too.

But I'm not complaining :-)

Really -- I expected this Valentines Day to be tough emotionally, but it hasn't been. Most of the day I haven't even thought about the fact that it's the 14th. It was just another day.

God used my sweet friend Amanda to help alter my attitude toward V-day a bit. She sent me a message on Saturday that really made me smile and encouraged me. Here's part of what she said:

Valentine's day isn't about who has a boyfriend, and who wants a boyfriend, or who had a boyfriend. It's about love, simple as that. I mean in a sense anyone you love can be your valentine, whether its friends, family, or a significant other, or even GOD. So I hope this Valentine's day you don't find yourself eating a gallon of ice cream, or a package of cookie dough, instead take the time to tell those in your life that you love them!! :) And then that day will come where you get a guy, and then your perspective on the holiday can change. I know he (whoever he is) is out there. God is continuing to work on you and him to create the husband you will need, and the wife he needs! I am convinced that True Love, no matter how long the wait, is worth the wait! This year I'm not sad, I am blessed and glad that I am loved.

I'm so blessed to have godly friends who are walking this "single" journey alongside me, and that we can encourage each other along the way :-)

I hope and pray that each one of you who reads this is aware of just how beloved you are.

Because Valentines Day isn't about boyfriends and girlfriends. It's about love. And GOD IS LOVE.

Pray for Kate.

I found this link through my friend Courtney's blog.

My heart was pierced and I cried for this precious little girl.

Kate and her family really, really need our prayers. Please, take a few minutes to look at her picture, read her story, and pray for her.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate/journal

Thank you.

"staring at these empty walls"

I'm sitting at work, but not being very productive at the moment.

I don't want to work. Usually, when I don't feel like working, there's something else I'd rather be doing, like playing on the computer or talking to somebody or being outside.

But today, I don't want to work but don't want to do any of that either. I feel like just sitting and staring and doing absolutely nothing.

Maybe I need sleep?

But here we go... gonna take a deep breath and get back into these personnel files, then go and do a camp presentation at a church this evening. Wish me luck ;-)