I Stand in Awe //

Sweet and merciful Father, 

I stood in awe, tonight, with my arms high and heart abandoned.

After hearing Your words spoken out to us tonight. After hearing the gospel poured into my ears and heart.

That’s the beauty of You — that you can hear, you can read, you can soak in the gospel so many times, but it still has that affect on you. I am still amazed by You. I am speechless at Your willing Sacrifice of Your son — I should have been the one paying for my countless sins, and yet you sent Him, perfect in power and wholly worthy to be praised. 

Father, not only am I touched to hear your gospel this week and be reminded of your unfailing love, but Lord — you have eight new children who have submitted themselves to you, who have chosen to call You Father for the first time today, and who will see Your face one day — who now have eternal life! 

I am sitting here with tear-filled eyes, with an overwhelmed, joyful, happy, heart. Eight children have chosen to follow the Lord of all.

All I can say is that God is at work, here, in the city of Philadelphia — He is the God of this city and I truly believe that even greater things are yet to come. 

“

I kick and I scream and I thrash hard against the Father’s love. I shift my focus and become a prisoner to the panic instead of the promise, and still He says, “mine.” He looks at me, broken, and calls me daughter and ever so lovingly pulls me right back in.

I want to live as a prisoner to the “Yes.” Remembering all we have seen, we set our hope fully on what we have not yet seen. We place all of our hope and all of our trust and all of our focus on the grace given us through Christ, and we beg to live captured by His promises.

”

—	Katie Davis

Before You Wed // Darling Magazine

Most of us girls have a dream growing up that we will someday find our Mr. Forever. In young adulthood, there is a tendency to be particularly focused on this objective. Whether you are single, ready to mingle, or in a serious relationship, the choices we make now sets the stage for our future marriage. Here’s what we can do to put ourselves in a healthy position in our relationships now and in the future.

Keep Growing
When we are looking for Mr. Right, there is a tendency for this longing to create “tunnel vision,” where all of our problems will be solved if we could just find Mr. Right. While this illusion is certainly convincing, another person will never be capable of being “our everything” or solving all of our insecurities and fears. Whether you are in a serious relationship or not, it is important to continue toward personal growth as our external circumstances are only a fleeting salve for our wounds.

Be Intentional
Inside or outside of a committed relationship, we are wise to treat all of our relationships like the latter. A common myth adopted by many during young adulthood is that we can get serious about what matters later and everything will fall into place. Sometimes this happens. Most of the time it doesn’t. We perform how we practice. While this doesn’t mean that we give too much of ourselves too quickly, being intentional about getting to really know someone and continue to grow in our relationships with ourselves and others will only serve our relationship with future Mr. Right down the road.

Observe
Take a look around. Who in your life has the kind of relationship you would want to have? If it is difficult to think of a relationship you might like to emulate, it is important to reach out to people that demonstrate relationships you hope to have yourself. Having several mentors create vision and help us understand what we are looking for and prevents us from settling for less.

Be Patient
The right one is worth waiting for and comparing yourself to other people’s storylines will only breed dissatisfaction with the beauty of your own story. Waiting for your own story to unfold with anticipation will help you to be thankful for your own unique story and will help you to love the life you have rather than constantly wishing you were somewhere else.

Be Thankful
Each season brings different gifts. Rather than ignoring the gifts of this season and focusing on what your hopes might be for the future, enjoy unwrapping the gifts that this season provides. If we constantly look forward, we miss the presents of the present. An attitude of gratitude leads us toward joy in each season of life.

So no matter what stage of life you are in, know that what you do now counts. It counts now and it counts in the future. Living this truth will only reward you down the road.

Photo by Heidi Ryder, via Style Me Pretty

(article via Darling Magazine)