{Persistence | Personal}

"When you walk through a day in trusting dependence on Me, My aching heart is soothed. Gently bring your attention back to Me whenever it wanders away. I look for persistence - rather than perfection - in your walk with Me. " {Jesus Calling, Sarah Young}

*Photo taken on Lake Superior at Tettegouche State Park

{Mist | Multnomah Falls, Oregon}

"May the Lord bless his land with the precious dew from heaven above, and with the deep waters that lie below;

with the best the sun brings forth and the finest the moon can yield;

with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills; 

with the best gifts of the earth and it's fullness and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush."

{Deuteronomy 33:13-16}

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I realized today that other than a couple ocean shots, I'd never posted pictures of Oregon from my trip last summer. This one was taken at Multnomah Falls, a beautiful early morning shoot in the misting rain. You just might be seeing more of them soon....

Fishers of Men

"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you Fishers of Men. They immediately left their nets and followed Him." 

[Matthew 4: 18-20]

Jesus called the 12 to be Fishers of Men. He directly told them, "follow Me and I will make you fishers of men." But it wasn't until three years later that Jesus told them....

"He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." [Mark 16:15]

They didn't actually become Fishers of Men until then. Three years later. And these three years weren't like any other years... these were years where they talked, walked, fellowshipped and lived with the Savior. These were some intimate times with their Lord, the ultimate Fisherman. 

I've got some dreams floating in my head. I've got some talents at my fingertips. I see some needs. And I've felt Gods voice saying that He's got something for me.

But lately I've tried to rush Him.... "Well Lord, you called me to be this... AND????" And.. you haven't finished your "three years". You're not prepared for this calling yet. You may not have learned enough patience, you may not know how to love like I do, you may not be strong enough for this, you may not be knowledgeable in this. In short.... you've got some preparation left to do, some time with ME. 

When I think about it this way, and compare myself to the disciples, I feel like I've got a lot more than three years left! Although sometimes it's hard to wait when you know where you are going [in their case.. to preach the gospel to all men], it's also really awesome to know that the Lord of all wants to spend more time with you right now. ["And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word.... And Jesus answered her and said, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken from her." ~ Luke 10: 39-41]

Jesus did use the disciples during this time, it's not like they sat around. For goodness sake, they healed people and feed people and did other things for Christ, but their real calling didn't come until later.

So for right now, I'm taking the steps He's showed me. Learning to trust Him in the little things. And spending time with Him, preparing :-)  [Oh and also getting excited for everything else!]

Something about the Ocean

"Something about the ocean makes me rise up and praise // something about the heavens makes me stand in awe again // something about the sunrise reminds me of Your faithfulness // something about the ocean and I'm lost in love again." 

~ Ocean, Ten Shekel Shirt 

Walk on the Water

"So what are you waiting for // what do you have to lose // your insecurities try to alter you // You know you were made for more // so don't be afraid to move // your faith is all it takes and you can walk on the water too." ~Britt Nicole Walk on the Water

I want to walk on the water. I mean how awesome would it be to actually walk on the lake? I was thinking about this the other day, and it hit me how we can walk on water. Not in the literal sense [although I do believe that could happen!] but in other virtual sense, such as walking above the storm, walking over the problems of this life, things that drown others, that pull them down.

"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary."

"Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, 'It is a ghost!' And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying 'Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.' "

And Peter answered Him and said, 'Lord, if that is You, command me to come to You on the water.' So He said, 'Come'. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat the wind ceased." [Matthew 14: 22-33]

Why was Peter the only one that walked on the sea to Jesus? For one, he was an overcomer. He was already learning to walk above the things of this world, walk above the apparent storms by concentrating on the Lord. [you may want to read an earlier post about overcoming, Offensive Wrestling ] But another fact was that Peter was able to hear from, and recognize the Lord and His voice. While the others thought that Jesus was a ghost, Peter said, "Lord, if that is you......"

In Matthew 16, Jesus asks the disciples who the people say He was and then He askes,

"But what about you? Who do you say I am?" And Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." [Matthew 16:15-18]

Peter heard from the Lord. And on this rock, this man that God revealed things to, on this rock He will build His church. And the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. If we can hear from the Lord, we will begin to be able to walk on the water, and nothing will prevail against us.

I want to be "this rock" that the Lord will build His church on. I want to be the kind of person that the "gates of Hades will not prevail against." And I want to walk on the water too.......

 

Quench Your Thirst

“Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” ~John 4:13-14


"The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."
~Isaiah 58:11