We Abide In Him

“We abide in Him.” 1  John 4:13

“Do you want a house for your soul? Do you ask, “What is the purchase?” It is something less than proud human nature will like to give. It is without money and without price. Ah! You would like to pay a respectable rent! Would you love to do something to win Christ? Then you cannot have the house, for it is ‘without price.’ Will you take my Master’s house on a lease for all eternity, with nothing to pay for it, nothing but the ground-rent of loving and serving Him forever? Will you take Jesus and ‘abide in Him?’

See, this house is furnished with all you want, it is filled with riches more than you will spend as long as you live. Here you can have intimate communication with Christ and here are tables well-stored with food for you to live forever. In it, when weary, you can find rest with Jesus and from it you can look out and see heaven itself. Will you have the house?

Ah! If you are houseless, you will say, ‘I should like to have the house, but may I have it?’ Yes, there is the key-the key is. ‘Come to Jesus.’ ‘But,’ you say, ‘I am too shabby for such a house.’ Never mind, there are garments inside. If you feel guilty and condemned, come. Christ will make you good enough for the house by-and-by. He will wash you and cleanse you, and you will yet be able to sing, ‘We abide in Him.’

Believer, how happy are you to have such a dwelling place! You are greatly privileged for you have a ‘strong habitation’ in which you are ever safe. And ‘dwelling in Him,’ you have not only a perfect and secure house, but an everlasting one. When this world shall have melted like a dream, our house shall live, and stand more imperishable than marble, more solid than granite, self-existent as God, for it is God Himself.

-We abide in Him.

~Charles Spurgeon 

240 Hours

Well-my senior year is approaching fast. I had a meeting today with some of the girls and our coach from high school swimming…and the season is right around the corner! We begin August 20^th, so I have about 19 days to prepare. Our coach was talking to the seniors about stepping up and becoming leaders to the team, and I couldn’t agree more. We are the ones who will be doing all the “team-bonding” exercises (if you have any non-cheesy ones…please let me know!). We will also be the ones designing the T-shirts, deciding and ordering suits, spreading information around, recruiting gals to swim (here’s my recruiting: come try EHS swimming!:), dealing with drama on the team when it arises, leading cheers before the meets, and being leaders that bring the girls together as one team. My coach went on to explain his vision and it sounded a lot like this…”Make it clear we all have one purpose (to swim fast). Make it clear we are all one team. Encourage those struggling. Correct those rebelling. Accept everyone.” That was pretty much the gist of it, and I thought that sounded like a total gospel message…just not for Jesus (minor problem). So he got me thinking…what is my goal for this team? How am I going to lead these girls? What am I going to be leading them to? Before I go any further, here are some facts for you. This swim season (which is 80 days), I will spend…

60 days at practice or a meet

120 hours at practice (swimming)

30 hours at practice (dry land)

56 hours at meets

16 hours in a bus

18 hours at team dinners (approx.)

…that’s a total of 240 hours I will spend with these girls, and swimming. That’s a lot of time. So what am I going to do with it? Use it to tell people about Jesus and demonstrate His goodness? Or just waste it?

It’s so easy to just “let the season fly by” and not really think about it. But when you break it down to the math…it starts to prove a point. I will begin now by being in prayer about the season. Praying that I will be sacrificially serving the girls and coaches. Praying that I could use the 120 hours of swimming to memorize scripture, or repeat something in my mind that’s worthwhile. Praying that I would build relationships to know the girls more. Praying I won’t be a total religious freak but a real person who really loves Jesus. Praying Jesus would give me the boldness to say His name, and proclaim His goodness and to demonstrate what it’s like to follow Him.

240 hours…now that’s a lot of time.

Humility

Corbin and I watched a Mark Driscoll sermon last night about humility (taken from 1 Peter 5:5-14). Wow. Convicting, encouraging, helpful…yes yes and yes. From watching this, I have learned a lot about humility, pride, and even anxiety. We took notes throughout the video, so I am putting them on here in hopes that they may be helpful to you. Most everything down there is directly from the sermon (italicized is me). I pray this will be useful to you!

Just to clarify…

Nobody is humble, but we are to pursue humility by the Grace of God.

Humility is not: fear of man.

Humility is:

• Fear of the Lord
• Christ-like (to follow Him)
• Accepting/Knowing your place

Some things to know…

• We are to receive grace humbly and give it gladly.
•  Joy is not as much an emotion as it is a lifestyle.
• There is a difference between God’s timing and God’s calling.
• Plan A is humility. Learn first and God will exalt you. Plan B is humiliation. You make yourself high and God takes you down. I suggest plan A.
•  Humble people are able to live their life differently and enjoy it gladly.
• Humble people know their sin.

Humble Christians…

• Humble Christians respect their elders
• Humble Christians make good leaders 
• Humble Christians understand their life
• Humble Christians bless their church

Here are 8 questions to consider…

1. Am I teachable?
2. How do I respond to correction?
3. Do I repent quickly and thoroughly?
4. Am I considerate of other people?
5. Do I serve and receive well?
6. Am I consistently aware of God’s grace in my life?
7. Do I disagree agreeably?
8. How much attention and affirmation do I require?

Anxiety:

•   When anxiety happens I need to repent, not manage. I can’t know the future. I can’t control the future. Humble people know that God’s omniscient, I’m not. God’s sovereign, I’m not. Anxiety is not “things I need to manage”, it’s “things to be repented of.”
• Satan’s best tactic is to appeal to my pride.
•  We live in a world where pride is a virtue, not a vice.

Leave with these great reminders…

• When you think of Jesus, think of Him in His humility for your example, and Him in His glory for your eternity.
•  We will suffer for a little while, as we limp home to the King and His Kingdom.
• Some would say Christianity is the easiest religion because to be saved from wrath, death, and hell you need to DO nothing but repent and believe. I would say that makes it the hardest because it requires humility.
• Pray to be humble, serve others, love others, and also receive well.

*Not if, but where is the pride in my life?*

Watch sermon here:)

Shelby's 15th

     On May 21^st, we celebrated my sister’s 15^th birthday! It was an absolute blast, and boy did we have surprise after surprise for her:) It wasn’t anything super fancy, but a few friends and I pulled together some great little things to do throughout the day, beings she spent it at school. So in the morning I began the surprises with her favorite breakfast…chocolate chip pancakes shaped as mickey mouse (yes, 15 and mickey mouse! But she’s always going to be my wittle sister). Then when we arrived at school there were two great friends who each brought her coffee! Shelby was lovin this…:) She was then surprised by sweet little Haley running up to her in the halls to give her a boquet of balloons! Then at lunch, Brooke Ghiglia and I brought her in some flowers, and Kristin lead us all in a happy birthday song (Love ya, Kristin!:). Now this is where it gets fun…I packed her some clothes to change into after school, so she did, but not knowing why. Shelby, Corbin and I then get into the car and we blindfolded Shelby with a scarfJ We cranked the music and I I did my best to drive in such a way she wouldn’t know where we were …you know, stop where there isn’t a stop sign, and do random u-turns…good stuff. But somehow, she figured it all out. Literally, as we are driving, and think we have her sooo good, she goes, “We’re on Miller…oh now you’re turning into the high school parking lot to try to throw me off because I was right!” Yep. Dead on, Shelby. The one time I wish she wasn’t good at directions;) So after an hour of that we finally made it to our destination- Mike’s house, and yes-she was surprised! There we enjoyed some Cake while the Mike, Goldyn, Caleb, Jaymie, Brie, Corbin and I all sat around telling funny stories of our dear Shel-bel. It was a memory in and of itself. Caleb brought his guitar and played an improv song for Shelby which was hilarious! We all found that enjoyable. After the wonderful time at the Carlson’s, Shelby and I went to Fujiyama to meet my parents for her birthday dinner…SUPER yummy food! We all had a great time there, and that’s when I gave her my present: a “15 things I love about you” mini scrapbook. We made it home by 8 or so, and we were beat! It was such a wonderful time, I can’t believe my sister is 15 years old with her permit! Thinking about it now, I only get to spend one more birthday home with her-better make that a good oneJ All of this to say I am so blessed by all the wonderful friends we have who helped out for this special girl. Shelby, we love you so much, and that’s an understatement. I am so blessed by…well…15 things that I mentioned in my scrapbook.:) I love these things about you…

1-One of a kind

2-All your random facts

3-You make me “LOL”

4-Your tom-boy side

5-Too cute for words

6-So stinkin cute!

7-Oh so adorable

8-You curious little one

9-You’re joy

10-You’re so much fun

11-Such a diva

12-All the giggles

13-You are so beautiful

14-You are so precious

15-Your love for Jesus

Some of these may not make sense unless you see the book, but those are my top pics- each with a special story.:)

Some pics from the day...

Shelby with sweet Haley

Blindfolded and on our way to Mike's!

Mike and his lil' sis, Goldyn. She's a cutie and loved the day, too!

The girls:)

At the restaurant!

Yes, she has her permit!

Shelby Crystal,

Happy 15, I love you so very much. Thanks for blessing me everyday with your company in the kitchen, bathroom, car, school, allergy place, car again, and wherever else we may be off to. Girl, you have such a kind heart that I am jealous to learn from. I have one more year with you…let’s make it worth something. Keep loving Jesus and trusting in Him. Love you sweet sister of mine,

 Brooke

When Life is 100mph

     Whew. This past week…I mean month, I mean…year has literally flown by. I can’t believe it is May 20^th! This last week I have stayed pretty occupied with some things like…

Coffee dates with friends

Dinner with an awesome guy from Chili (and the fam…no this wasn’t a date;)

Working on junior thesis/homework

Working at Town Toyota Center

Celebrating mother’s day

Swimming and hot tubing with friends/family

Going to Seattle for protocol

Working in the yard

Watching adorable kiddos

“Hosting” the after-party for junior protocol (so much fun!)

Looking into colleges more and more

Quality time with my one and only sis

Planning events for this summer…

     And the list goes on…but I think you get the idea. Busy.

Taking a second to stop and think about it, I suddenly came to many realizations. I have…

1 more year until we visit Europe.

3 more weeks until summer break.

2 more weeks to work on my junior thesis.

5 more days until we begin the “gorge season”

1 more day until Shelby’s 15!....yes…15!

1 more year of high school left.

     So yes, these are quite the lists. Lots happened in the past week (not to mention the past year) and lots to look forward to in the future. But too often I can get so caught up into the “right now” and in living today…planning for tomorrow…and forgetting about the past. I can get way bogged down in homework assignments or how much money I am making. I procrastinate and find myself pulling too many late-nighters, depending and relying on coffee the next morning when I wake up 6 hours later. This has been my life the past month. Fun? More like draining.

     What I fail to do is remember Jesus in all this mess. My priorities shift to where they aren’t supposed to be. I worry about school. I fear about the future. And I forget to give thanks to what God has done for me.  

     So, for all of you high-schoolers out there who are feeling this same way these last weeks of school, let me encourage you the way I have been encouraged. Take a breather for these next five minutes to reflect on what we already have in Christ, and how to go about the finishing of this school year.

Why I worry/fear

     Let me be completely honest. I worry and fear because I don’t trust God, right? And why should I worry when I have a perfect, holy, grace-abounding, total loving, Son-giving, God who I get to call my Father? Yes. I think I answered my own question. When I worry and fear, it’s because I’m not trusting my God.

Why I forget

     I forget what God has done/is doing because I become so self-absorbed and self-centered. I find myself becoming a busybody instead of being busy for a somebody. There is a difference there, because when I am self-centered and my life is running 100mph it results in me looking like a chicken running around with it’s head cut off.

The good news

     Here’s the good news…I have found that In Christ, I have a better hope than getting an A on my thesis. In Christ, I have a better hope than getting a good-night’s rest. In Christ, I have a better hope and reason to get up after 6 hours of sleep (hint: and it’s not coffee!) In Christ, I have a better hope than making enough money to (fill in the blank). But let it be that In Christ, my hope is in the one who gave His life for me and forgave me of my sins, resulting in reconciliation with God. I am a daughter of God. God sees me in Christ and counts me as righteous. He is my strength, my comforter, my all. And for this, I have a reason to be hopeful, wake up, and live with a purpose…especially these last weeks of school.

     Is my life still running at 100mph? Yes. But I am encouraged that I can make it count for something, using every opportunity I have to tell people about The Somebody. I encourage you to preach to yourselves daily, dive into the Word, and remember what God has done for you through Christ. For when I find myself remembering this good news…it just get’s better and better and I become more and more thankful, hopeful, and inspired to tell others about the goodness of this God. 

Favorite Quotes

I keep a document on my computer full of some awesome quotes I come across at random times. I was reading through them last night, and thought to post them here, in hopes that they may bless you, as they have been very encouraging words to me. I put my sources at the bottom: all great books/blogs/sites I recommend reading for sure! Enjoy!:)

“Sin happens when we don't trust God above everything (when we interpret in the wrong way) and when we don't desire God above everything (when we worship the wrong thing.)”

~Tim Chester 

"Do not become self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency is Satan’s net where he catches men, like poor silly fish, and destroys them. Be not self-sufficient. The way to grow strong in Christ is to become weak in yourself. God pours no power into man’s heart till man’s power is all poured out. Live, then, daily, a life of dependence on the grace of God."

~Charles Spurgeon

“Religion says ‘you must impress God,’ but the gospel says ‘Jesus impressed God for you.”

“If you live gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full.”

~John Piper

 "What a comfort is this; when Satan is tempting, Christ is praying!"

~Thomas Watson (1663)

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."

 ~Francis Chan

“Good theology will always lead to humility and worship. It displays the greatness of God. It reflects the beauty of Jesus and the gospel, and the wonder of God’s justice and mercy coming together in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.”

~Joe thorn 

“When you get down to the essence of our righteousness, we are not saints because we are saints, but because Jesus is. To be justified to God through Christ, then, means that having received the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, we are declared righteous ourselves, pardoned from the charge of guilt. We are reckoned innocent, not on the basis of our own innocence, mind you, but on the basis of Christ’s innocence."

~Justin Holcomb

“When you’re excited to see Jesus change lives, you get excited to play a part by giving. It’s not a chore; it’s an honor.”
~Jamie Munson


“Because of total depravity, you and I were desperate for God’s grace before we were saved. Because of total depravity, you and I remain desperate for God’s grace even after we’re saved."
~Tullian Tchividjian 


"Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." 

~John Newton

Note to Self,Desiring God FB page,Gospel-Driven Sanctification,Money: God or gift,Tullian Tchividjian blog

So Thankful

Thankful for...

My best friend

Thankful for a best friend who encourages me in all circumstances.

Thankful for a best friend who makes me laugh at any given time of any given day.

Thankful for a best friend who displays courage when times are tough.

Thankful for a best friend who bluntly and lovingly states when I am being foolish.

Thankful for a best friend who plunks out lovely songs on the piano. (emphasis on “plunks”;) 

Thankful for a best friend who relies, trusts in, and loves Christ as her Savior.

Thankful for my best friend, Jaymie Noelle Poage.

My sister

Thankful for a sister who is especially outgoing.

Thankful for a sister who is inspiring in her passions.

Thankful for a sister who enjoys coffee dates and quality time.

Thankful for a sister who encourages those who are down.

Thankful for a sister who always initiates good conversation.

Thankful for a sister who sings, sings, sings!;)

Thankful for a sister who is selfless and serves me frequently.

Thankful for a sister who is in love with Jesus.

Thankful for my sister, Shelby Crystal.

My brother

Thankful for a brother who surprises me often with gifts.

Thankful for a brother who cooks amazing food!

Thankful for a brother who is always in for having a good time.

Thankful for a brother who cares so dearly for his 3 year old sister.

Thankful for a brother who regularly has theological discussions with me;)

Thankful for a brother who is passionate about the Word, and is always striving to understand it more and more.

Thankful for my brother, Corbin Schmidt.

My Savior

Thankful for a savior, one desperately needed.

Thankful for a savior who rescues me from sin and death and has brought me into eternal life by the price He paid on the cross.

Thankful for a savior who gifts me countless things including a new identity and a new reason to live…a better identity and a better reason than I could have ever come up with myself.

Thankful for a savior who is my hope, my rock, my truth, my anchor…so that when there’s a storm, in Him I can find peace (and only in Him).

Thankful for my savior, Jesus Christ.

   

    I am filled with thanks, and my heart overflows with joy because of all of these truths. I have been beyond blessed with people God has placed in my life, and these are only to name a few! Above all, Jesus has continued to be faithful and good. I had the awesome privilege to be one out of many to witness our precious friend, Abbi Milner, get baptized this last Sunday! She totally rocked it- speaking the truth and how God has been so good in her life. I encourage you to watch it here!:)

Praising God for His unending love, and all satisfying hope we have in Jesus Christ, our savior. Glory be to God!

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light. For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave us our sins.”

~Colossians 1:11-14