they will know that I am God

last week Steven Furtick posted on one of my absolute favorite artists - Chuck Close. he has some things at the Walker and at the MIA in minneapolis and no matter how many times i see them - i can literally just stand and look at them for so long. they are absolutley incredible. the detail is amazing.

and in the blog post (the link is toward the bottom of this post - so you can go read it) he talks about Chuck and how he has a condition where he is unable to remember faces. he literally will see someone and then turn around and forget them. yet this man paints and draws faces. and he is good at it.

and if you are thinking "oh man, thats so impressive" - well Chuck is also disabled. He was almost completely paralyzed before - so he learned to paint with his teeth. ??? and now he can move his arm some, so he is able to place the tools in that hand, balanced strategically - and go about drawing/painting his works.

amazing right? i posted a picture of one of his drawings...and no, its not a photo.

crazy, huh? i want so badly to learn to draw detail like that!

anyways - Steven goes on in his post to say that Chuck Close's strength is creating faces in incredible detail. and yet - faces are his greatest weakness - he cant remember them.

and that is how God works in us........our greatest weakness is what God wants to use as his platform. because in that weakness - He can display His splendor to its maximum potential. its His platform...because its where we dont get in the way :)

so dont be afraid to acknowledge your weakness and let God use it. and when He calls you to take a step of faith and act on something you dont think you can do - dont hesitate.

Because He's planning to show up and make sure everyone watching knows its Him working.

how many times in Isaiah does God say "so they will KNOW that I am God..."

make sure to take a second to acknowledge your weakness and then make sure to stand in sheer awe of the contrast between what He can do and what you know you can do.

and soak it in - because that's God. and He's giving you assurance that He knows you, and He is more than capable of taking care of you.

love it.

http://www.stevenfurtick.com/spiritual-growth/your-greatest-weakness-gods-greatest-platform/

-ALIVE

never limit God...

This morning I heard a guy on Air1 talking about faith…and he said this “having faith is placing all your hope on the fact that God is going to stay faithful to the promises He’s made”
And I just really loved that. we are trusting Him to come through for us and fulfill all His promises – that He has forgiven us, that He loves us unconditionally, that He will never leave, that He’ll provide, that He will come back for us, and so on, so on.
So many amazing promises.
And we can’t have real faith until we choose once and for all to believe that He means them.
Because until we choose to really believe that – how can we do the crazy things He calls us to? How can we have a REAL relationship with someone who we don’t really trust?
I was listening to Crazy Love by Francis Chan the other day in my car, chapter 9 I think, and he was just telling all these life stories about Christians living POWERFULLY impactful lives by the power of the Holy Spirit – and I was just crying. Crying so much – not because these stories were so sad, but because these people were truly choosing to trust God and to love Him no matter what, and God was coming through. He was/is using them in HUGE ways in the lives of the ppl around them. All because they love Him- fully and truly. And because of that – they trust Him enough to answer when He calls, no matter what its to do. His heart is all that matters to them.
And I just felt His Spirit so deep in my heart – wanting so much to be able to live a life that declares His faithfulness like that. that I can hear His voice and just answer. because I can, because I trust Him. And no other reason.
This weekend one of the speakers (and I have a WHOLE lot to write about this weekend…so this is just a little part) Josh Thurston talked about being alive for Christ.
And one of the things he talked about was the vision that we have for our lives, the vision that God has given us…
And he had us write it down. And said to dream big – because God can and will do it.
So I sat down, along with the students and other leaders (and I have tried to put into words my dream/vision before and I haven’t been able to) but this weekend, God just spoke it. it just became clear.
And its cool. And has the potential to either be very small or VERY big. So I’m choosing to believe Him for as big as He wants to go…
And expecting it.
Out of faith.
Because all my hope is on Him fulfilling His promises…and I know He will.
So stay tuned as it all unfolds…;)

– Hebrews 6:13-20 says…
“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. “


Now – one more thing…God has been using Pastor Steven Furtick to speak to me about a lot of things lately and it has been a HUGE encouragement – so I just want to share his blog post from today.
Never limit God. Never dream small.
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/video-blog/my-thoughts-on-oprah/

and know without a doubt that God is more than capable to and will come through.
So trust Him.

-ALIVE

Ink

Here's some stuff I did tonight in class

-ALIVE

Give Me Your Eyes: Edinbrook Edition

last night we had some HIGHLY productive practice time...and im not even exaggerating...haha
we thought we were done with Give Me Your Eyes...but we were asked to perform it this Sunday at Edinbrook. so we did a little recruiting, got some people from our team to come and so last night we taught it to everyone, and it looks really good!
so grateful for a team that is willing to work so hard to learn this stuff on such short notice.
love it.
but it went really great. and we even had a FEW minutes at the end to do a little yesterday, today, forever...:) always fun.
and so everyone should come on sunday morning (either service) to see it!
and also keep us in your prayers - that everyone will remember it and that God will be truly glorified through every second of it!!!

we also have a few more projects in the idea stage...;) so pray that God brings them out and brings them to life!

-ALIVE

fire

i'm seeing a theme going with these posts...first we have water, now fire - in faith i'm believing that the next is actually going to be wind and it will be the wind coming from the Holy Spirit breathing on me - and leading me into a new adventure...;)
but really...:) i really didnt plan the water, fire thing...just realized it - but hey, i'll go with it!
anyways.......
i've been thinking about fire a lot lately because God has me walking through an intense one. during the last session of {em-pou-er} Grace had her pottery going and she was talking but God was talking through her and speaking DIRECTLY into my heart. literally - it was like He was standing right in front of my and lifting up my face saying "this is for you...pay attention..."

but she was telling the pitcher she was working on that -
"its ok, darling. you might not know what's happening - but i do. its all for a purpose. so that you can be tall and beautiful and perfect and strong. you are about to go into the fire. its going to be hot, really hot. hotter than you think you can stand but you'll make it. you'll make it through and you know what? you'll come out stronger and more beautiful. so just trust me, darling, trust me that I know exactly what I'm doing. and I won't mess up - just let me."

and i just heard the line "you're about to go into a fire, and its going to be hotter than you think you can stand, but you'll make it and you'll come out stronger and more beautiful than ever before" over and over again in my head.
and that, my friends, is kind of an overwhelming thing to hear God tell you.
but He was preparing me - so i could brace myself a little. i wont go into everything that God is teaching me...haha...just trust me that it does indeed resemble fire and it is indeed quite warm. haha

but He's also given me a couple songs that are just speaking right to me- Gold by beckah shae, Something in His Eyes by shonlock, and Divine Romance by phil wickham.
all so great - and i have them set up to play on my computer so they go in order...haha...(maybe crazy, but this is really how God speaks to me sometimes...) so try to follow the logic... :)
but Gold is all about the refining fire. i'm going in the way i am now - but through the intense fire - i'm being refined. refined by God, He's getting rid of all the impurities that will tarnish after time and weaken my foundation and who knows what else...and making sure that when i come out, i'll be solid gold.
then Something In His Eyes starts playing...and it gives this great picture of how when things get crazy and just get to be too much - He tilts up my chin so i can look Him in the eye and see ALL the love He's got for me in there - and makes sure I know that He's got His girl covered. (gives ya butterflies...;) ) take a second and picture really staring into God's eyes and just seeing His love for you...crazy stuff.
and the last one...oh the last one. this one God uses to just give me rest. every time i hear it, i see Him sitting right next to me, hand on my arm, saying - "i'm here. just lean on me. even though it might seem hard - it's worth it."

cool, huh?
i just wanted to share that - not to give you these songs as a formula to experience God. its not. He gave those songs to me for this moment in my life. so listen to them - they're great...but also make sure to ask God what He wants to show you for your life. so i encourage you to listen for Him, because God is speaking (sometimes in ways you don't expect) but He wants to speak into your heart. and He might call you to tough things (big or small) but He's right there through all of it. He's not going anywhere...
so lean on Him.
listen to what He's waiting to show you.
and let Him love on you.
:)

-ALIVE