Because He's good...

God is GOOD! He is not just good when I feel good, He is not just good when I see it, He is good all the time.

This past year has been hard, I have struggled through a lot of things...and i have grown so close to Him and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Those moments of crying on the floor grasping to what little hope I had left in my heart, searching, struggling, wrestling, waiting...all words that frustrtated me but now I see the beauty in and they are precious to me.

And so with all of my heart I thank my precious Father, because He is good to me, and I learned to say it even when it didn't make sense to. He took me on a journey of faith and oh how He has increased that in me. He really does work for good everything for those who love him. Why He has chosen this time to pour out his blessing on my life I will never know, but if I know one thing, I know that the God of this Universe and Jesus the lover of my soul...owes me nothing. And even if He should choose to never bless me with the things my heart so deeply yearns for I will whisper and cry and pray with the one who holds and cherishes my heart because He has proven himself faithful to me...I trust him with every part of it. My heart smiles inside me because of the secret love that we share, the secret things He whispers to my soul that make me want to stand up, spin around, and applaud the one who knows me better then I know myself. The fact that He has spoken his pleasure over me, his love, his adoration, the fact He sings to me, and He fills me in that way that no one in this world ever will. I love him not because of the things He gives me, but what a gift giver He is, and its true...we can't out give God...but I love Him because He first loved me and that means more then life to me. May I never ever take Him for granted.

Praise YOUR name LORD, Be glorified Always! You Bless my heart and I can not thank you enough.

Ash

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Captivating

Captivating

Current mood:pensive

If you want to know what the book club is all about its "Captivating", by John and Stasi Eldredge. Jess said she was about to suggest it to her sister who then told her she was reading it, and yesterday I got an email from my friend Rachel that said this...

I don't know if you have read this book or not (knowing you, I'm sure you have) but yesterday I just finished a book by John and Stasi Elderidge called Captivating...  It's all about the soul of women, and deals with why we feel certain ways and respond to certain things the way we do...and it gives us permission to be ourselves!!!  It taught me so much.  It made me feel .... loved, needed, special, empowered, and inspired to be who I am (something I've been stifling).  READ IT NOW if you haven't already. 

So if thats not inspiring you already I thought I would put some quotes in that stood out to me...hope you enjoy, Ash

After years of hearing the heart-cry of women, I am convinced beyond a doubt of this: God wants to be loved. He wants to be a priority to someone. How could we have missed this? From cover to cover, from begining to end, the cry of God's heart is, "Why don't you choose me?" It is amazing to me how humble, how vulnerable God is on this point. "You will find me, " says the Lord, "when you seek me with all your heart." (Jer. 19:13). In other words, "Look for me, pursue me-I want you to pursue me." Amazing. As Towzer says, "God waits to be wanted."

He wants to be sought after by those who would know Him. He says "You will find me,when you seek me with all your heart." (Jer. 19:13).There is dignity here. God does not throw himself at any passerby. He is no harlot. If you would know him you must love him;you must seek him with your whole heart. This is crucial to any womans soul. "You cannot simply have me. You must seek me, pursue me. I won't let you in unless I know you love me."

A woman in the presence of a good man, a real man, loves being a woman. His strength allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real woman loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man, is draws out his strength. She inspires him to be a hero. Would that we were all so fortunate.

To experience the strength of a man is to have him speak on our behalf. For when men abuse with words, we are pierced. Their strength has wounded us. When they are silent, we are starved. They have offered no strength;they have abandoned us. But when they speak with us, hear us, offer their words to us and on our bahalf, something in our hearts are able to rest.

The strength of a man is first a soulish strength-a strength of heart. And yes, as he lives it out, owns it, inhabits his strength, he does become more handsome. More attractive. As the fruit of an inner reality.

So the choice of a woman in not to conjure beauty, but let her defenses down.To set aside her normal means of survival and just let her heart show up. Beauty comes with it.

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