The Sweet Designs of God - Solid Joys (John Piper)

This means that Paul was beating and imprisoning and murdering Christians as a God-chosen, soon-to-be-made-Christian missionary.

Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy . . . for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:13, 16)

O, how sweet are the designs of God in the sovereign salvation of hardened sinners!

(http://solidjoys.desiringgod.org/en/devotionals/the-sweet-designs-of-god)
Read link :)

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/love-the-life-you-never-wanted

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. . . . And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. (Genesis 39:21–23)

The reality is that all of us can imagine something better for ourselves than our circumstances today. The greater reality is that, if you love and follow Jesus, God always writes a better story for you than you would write for yourself. The “better” is based on this: God himself is the best, most satisfying thing you could ever have or experience, and, therefore, fullness of life is ultimately found not in any earthly success or relationship or accomplishment, but in your proximity to God through faith.

The dark side of this good news is that you may have to walk through pain, disappointment, rejection, and suffering for seventy or eighty years. The brighter (and prevailing) side says God never makes a mistake in choosing good for you. Everything you experience — expected or unexpected, wanted or unwanted, pleasing or painful — is God’s good plan to make you his own (John 10:27–29), to give you himself forever (Psalm 16:11), and to use your life to reveal himself and his glory to the world around you (Isaiah 43:25; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

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John 10

27 “My sheep ahear My voice, and bI know them, and they follow Me;

28 and I give aeternal life to them, and they will never perish; and bno one will snatch them out of My hand.

29 “1My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Isaiah 43

25 “I, even I, am the one who awipes out your transgressions bfor My own sake,

And I will cnot remember your sins.

1 Corinthians 10

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or awhatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

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What is the secret of joy and contentment in the face of whatever life brings? It’s centering and anchoring our joy and contentment in Christ, rather than in life. John Piper says, “When we have little and have lost much, Christ comes and reveals himself as more valuable than what we have lost. And when we have much and are overflowing in abundance, Christ comes and he shows that he is far superior to everything we have.”

A Greater Treasure and Ambition

Is the life you’re currently living the one you always wanted?

• Are you content — more than content, delighted and exhilarated — to have God at your side (Joshua 1:9)?
• Have you put some earthly standard or accomplishment ahead of knowing him and being his (2 Corinthians 6:16)?
• Are you willing to entrust your soul, your cause, and your vindication to the one who always judges justly, the one who has promised to work all things in every circumstance — including every setback, every disappointment, and even every sin against you — for you (1 Peter 2:23; Romans 8:28)?

God means for all of us after the wrongly convicted Joseph, and the brutally beaten Paul, to have their faith, hope, and joy. Make him your greatest treasure and ambition, and see everything else that happens to you in the light of that infinite pleasure and security. Learn to love the life you have with God, even if it is the life you never wanted.

(http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/love-the-life-you-never-wanted)

"I feel like I have to hide away in my room, because when I’m around them we don’t talk much anyways.
 I feel like I’m just another tab on their bill, especially when all they talk about is how they’re low on money and make it feel like it’s my fault."

Triumph Through Trials

I see you when you are in the garden of grief, My princess. I hear your cry for help in the dark hours of the night. I Myself cried out in the garden the night I was betrayed. In My suffering I asked My Father for another way--a less painful way. Yet I trusted His will and purpose for My life and knew the ultimate victory was at the cross. Just as olives must be crushed to make oil, I poured out My life as a love offering for you. Don’t ever doubt that I am with you and that I long to take you to a place of comfort, peace, and victory. Even when you cannot see Me from where you are, I am working on your behalf. Give to Me the crushing weight of your circumstances, and come to Me in prayer. When it is time to leave the garden, I will walk with you across the valley and straight to the cross--where your trials will be transformed into triumph.
 Love,
 Your Savior and your Victor


For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when our endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. - James 1:3-4


 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. - Psalm 51:7


HisPrincess.com 26 January 2016

耶稣

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.  From the ends of the earth I call to you,  I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. - Psalm 61:1-2 (NLT)

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
 My God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
 He is my shield, the power that saves me, And my place of safety. - Psalm 18:2

"Most companies don't die because they are wrong; most die because they don't commit themselves. They fritter away their momentum and their valuable resources while attempting to make a decision. The greater danger is in standing still."


-ANDY GROVE

Awe is the condition of a man’s spirit realizing Who God is and what He has done for him personally. Our Lord emphasizes the attitude of a child; no attitude can express such solemn awe and familiarity as that of a child.  Not Knowing Whither, 882 L

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:4) 

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;he does great things beyond our understanding. (Job 37:5)

Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? (Deuteronomy 3:24)

For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.(Deuteronomy 10:17)

Even When It Hurts (Praise Song) - Hillsong

Take this fainted heart
Take these tainted hands
Wash me in your love
Come like grace again

 

Even when my strength is lost
I'll praise you
Even when I have no song
I'll praise you
Even when it's hard to find the words
Louder then I'll sing your praise
I will only sing your praise
I will only sing your praise
I will only sing your praise

 

Take this mountain weight
Take these ocean tears
Hold me through the trial
Come like hope again

 

Even when the fight seems lost
I'll praise you
Even when it hurts like hell
I'll praise you
Even when it makes no sense to sing
Louder then I'll sing your praise
I will only sing your praise
I will only sing your praise
I will only sing your praise

 

And my heart burns only for you
You are all, you are all I want
And my soul waits only for you
And I will sing till the morning has come

 

Lord my heart burns only for you
You are all, you are all I want
And my soul waits only for you
And I will sing till the miracle comes

 

I will only sing your praise
I will only sing your praise
I will only sing your praise

 

Even when the morning comes
I'll praise you
Even when the fight is won
I'll praise you
Even when my time on earth is done
Louder then I'll sing your praise
I will only sing your praise

August 26, 2015

I remember what it felt like laughing (FOR REAL) again, after 9 months of stoic deadness. 

I remember shedding a tear too, even if I still couldn't even cry. 

I remember smiling in my heart, and not with a mask, finally.

And that feeling and surreal experience of my 2nd Deliverance, last April of this year...

As well as the whole tumultuous and God-ordained experience at MMRC in Batangas, with CCF Makati, and the #TL4PursuingPassion Retreat.


Words could never be enough to describe what this 20-month journey and more (since 2012 especially) has brought me into.

Darkness? Hopelessness; abandonment from those you've loved the most; losing yourself yet still walking in this world.


And that's aside from loathing everything you'd become from a life you had grown up around: The people, places, events, memories, hard work, sweat, and yes, blood, in working with and for a community you were born into.


With everything from that, and around 95% of its entirety, and the first 18 years of my life, being thrown away to be forgotten; down the drain like nothing but loathed sedimentary and sewage waste.


I hated who I was and could not reconcile the trouble and lostness the whole turn of events had brought me and my family into.


It wasn't about unforgiveness anymore, because my sister and I had learned to do it, last 2012.


It wasn't about disappointments, which many people so thought it was.


It wasn't about the 2nd guy friend I only ever liked, either (eugh wat) ((:
Whom, obviously, a close girl friend of mine liked as well.


I just step away from people, and things, and allow them to move along, and make myself let go of what won't hold me in return; just move forward, plainly spoken.


But it was something else, something real that had brought me into all of this...

You steady my heart.

Everything I need is in You.

I WILL RESIST

bacon temptation....................................................................................

For Narnia, and for Aslan.

Well then,

Be prepared.

More tired-ness = More Wushu MMA training, pls

More work = More Jesus, allday errday

,-,

Kitty :3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizal_Park 

:D :)

Photo from:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Kitten_in_Rizal_Park%2C_Manila.jpg/800px-Kitten_in_Rizal_Park%2C_Manila.jpg

And in Your light, I found GRACE.