Category Archives: Living for Jesus

It’s From the Pile of Ashes that Diamond Dust Sparkles Best

imageDear Sweet Girl,

There’s so much I wish someone had been there to tell you when you were a small child, and in your teens. Since no one seemed to care much what went on in your life then, I decided to write to you to tell you what I would have told you at eighteen years of age. I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.

First of all, you aren’t worthless and you aren’t a failure. No. You. Are. Not.

You are lovable, you are lovely, you are loved! Continue reading

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Filed under A Broken Childhood, Child Abuse and Neglect, God and Jesus, Hope, Inner Sruggles and Heartache, Life Lessons, Living for Jesus

The Locked Gate

imageLife is just like this sometimes. Our path goes smoothly for a while then suddenly there is a locked gate ahead looming large before us, a blockage in our path that won’t allow us to pass without stepping way out of our comfort zone and making some sort of sacrifice. In life we can’t exactly go back to what life was before we arrived at the locked gate; we have three choices. We either give up, or sit by the locked gate and hope someone with the key will show up soon, or we must get uncomfortable, sweaty, messy, and possibly wet. We must get out of our cozy place and get to a place where things are out of sync with our earthly comfort and understanding to get around the locked gate. Continue reading

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Filed under Following Christ Has Changed My Life, God and Jesus, Hope, Inner Sruggles and Heartache, Living for Jesus

The Smoothing Out of the “Rugged” Cross

It seems the tremendous sacrifice of the rugged cross has been minimized to a wooden symbol we attach to God. That symbol is linked to chains around people’s neck, tattooed on different parts of their bodies, erected over buildings, and imprinted on t-shirts and other items, but the intimate connection between God and soul seems to be missing. Churches keep growing bigger and bigger, with more programs and ways to evangelize, yet our willingness to personally connect with God becomes less heavenly minding and more earthly prone.

Churchgoing feels much like a duty and a social gathering one participates in, a tradition if you will, with God thrown in for good measure. We move in haste from one event to another without giving much thought to what we left behind.

I know it’s a shocking thing to say.  I am simply writing from what I have experienced through the lives of others and in my own life at times; however, I know this is not the way all Christ followers live.  Continue reading

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Filed under Following Christ Has Changed My Life, God and Jesus, Living for Jesus

Find Rest in Him

 

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There is someone who loves you enough to not only help you unpack,

but to take your heavy burden off your shoulders and back…

God Continue reading

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Filed under Everydayliving, Following Christ Has Changed My Life, God and Jesus, Hope, Inner Sruggles and Heartache, Living for Jesus

A Word of Appreciation to God

imageDear God,

Thank You for the stunning world You have given us to live in.

There are countless delightful colors and sounds everywhere we turn.

Your imagination exceeds that of any artist or sculptor,

yet You placed a portion of Yourself in us. Continue reading

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Filed under Awed by His Love and Grace, Following Christ Has Changed My Life, Hope, Living for Jesus

Revive Our Land, Oh God

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The image is quite humorous, but there really should be so much of it that holds truth for those who are called by the name of Christ.

As Christ Followers, we should strive to leave a loving residue in the lives of those we come in contact with. We should be bold to speak of His love, mercy, and power as the begotten Son, the Son God sentenced in our place.

God has raised a body of believers in this country we call the United States of America, but in this day and age, at times it leaves some of us desperately hoping we once and for all shed our dormant state.

Jesus promises to heal broken hearts and set captives free. Yet there remain countless captives in this life. Luke 4:17-19

My prayer for the Christ Followers of America:

Please God free us of our captivities. Help us to come back to You.

The God who heals, the only God who offers true freedom.

We bear Your name, nevertheless we are terribly weak because we don’t study Your word, and because we believe the lie that we don’t need You.

We are held captive by negative thoughts, past traumas, poverty, drugs, alcohol, pornography, but worse yet, our biggest prisons are hatred, greed, un-forgiveness, self-centeredness, prejudices, lawlessness, and self-deception.

May we, Your people, never give up what You hold so dear, and that is Your presence in our lives. May we be bold enough to speak Your truth.

Refresh in our women the love for their family, and the modesty and respect for themselves You hold so dear.

Empower our men with the love for their families and respect for our women, their sisters; and raise up in them the innate desire for sound leadership You placed in them; rather than the complacent spirit that has settled over them.

Give our youth the appetite and longing to seek Your face, and lead their peers.

Keep our innocent from being offered on the altar of our own selfishness.

Revive America, Your land. Shed your grace on us from sea to shining sea once more.

Raise us up again, oh God. Raise us up for there is no power greater than You. Help us to be that bright light shining on the hill. Don’t let us hide our lights under a bushel any longer because when a covering is placed on a candle, its flame always suffocates.

Help us never to forget the hope that lies in us, and that hope is that through Christ we can be cleansed of all iniquity, find freedom and restoration, and spend an eternity with You!

Pour out Your spirit on us like never before. Revive us with a passion only You can muster.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Dear God, I long to be captivated only by Your salvation, grace, love, and the kind of peace only You can offer. An inner peace and freedom no one can ever steal or destroy.

Dust us off and breathe life to our dusty bones, bones that are dry of Your Spirit. Ezekiel 37:1-14

Please restore the hedge of protection you have kept on our country for decades. Shower Your blessing on us once more.

In Jesus’ name, may Your will be done. Amen.

Humble yourself, America. Call on the God of your land once more.

Image from Facebook

By ~ Elizabeth Yalian 2013-2014 ©http://hiseyeisonthissparrow.com.

 

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Filed under God and Jesus, Hope, Living for Jesus, Seeds of Inspirations

Made to Reflect His Love

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Psalm 139

 You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

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Filed under Awed by His Love and Grace, Following Christ Has Changed My Life, Living for Jesus, The Miraculous

Behold the Lamb John 1:29

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        The original Passover freed the Israelites from Egyptian Slavery.

The final Passover frees anyone willing to come to Jesus from sin and spiritual slavery.

Jesus’ death on the cross freed us. Because of ours sinful nature inherited from our original parents Adam and Eve, we owe a debt to God we have no ability to pay off. Much like when we break laws on earth we owe a debt to society. Except the debt we owe to God is way beyond our ability to repay because, well, God is God and we are not; we are simply His creation. God wanted us in Heaven, but because of that sin and that debt, we are not allowed in Heaven. Continue reading

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Filed under Awed by His Love and Grace, Everythingelse, Following Christ Has Changed My Life, Holidays and Special Days, Living for Jesus, The Impossible, The Miraculous

Stay Salty, Do Good Anyway

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As Mother Teresa states, people will be people. It’s part of our human nature.  Sometimes, no matter how good our intentions may be, some people will lie about us, falsely accuse us, judge us unfairly without all the facts, treat us terribly, gossip about us, cheat us, and rob us.  Keep in mind those people will have to face God someday with their wrong choices.

What are we to do as Christ followers?

Stay salty, Do good anyway!  Give our best.  It is a tough one under such circumstances, but it is a requirement of God for our own benefit!

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Filed under Following Christ Has Changed My Life, Hope, Life and Relationships, Living for Jesus