thoughts from Psalm 119

I just finished reading Psalm 119 and I realized how full it is with verses about God's Word. I wrote out any verses pertaining to His Word, His words, or at times His law in my Bible/prayer journal. Here I separated them out into different sections on how I can apply them in my life.

"Wherewithal shall a young man (or woman) cleanse his (or her) way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word." -verse 9

I will:
hide His word in my heart, that I might not sin against Him. -verse 11
| If I'm faced with temptation, by having memorized and therefore hid His word in my heart I can be reminded of what His word says in those times and choose to do what is right. I can also have scripture ready to back up my beliefs if anyone questions me. |
not forget His word. -verse 16
| If scripture is hidden in my heart I won't be forgetting it! |
be strengthened with His word. -verse 28
| Just as I need to eat food everyday to be strengthened physically I need to read the Bible each day to stay strengthened spiritually. |
trust in His word. -verse 42
| His words won't ever fail us. |
meditate on His law all day. -verse 97
keep His word by refraining myself from any evil way.-verse 101
| Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. |
hope in His word.-verse 114
and I will not be ashamed of that hope.-verse 116
| What reason have I to be ashamed of the glorious hope I have in Christ? I should never be ashamed to share that hope with others. |
love His word because it is pure.-verse 140
meditate on His word through the night.-verse 148
| Notice how there are two verses about meditating on His word, first saying all day and then through the night. I should be carrying His word with me and focusing on it all of the time. |
stand in awe of His word.-verse 161
rejoice at His word.-verse 162
| Just thinking about how blessed I am to be able to openly have His Word in our home and to be able to read it whenever I want is enough to truly rejoice about. People in other countries are being tortured because of having the Bible and following what it says. |
speak of His word.-verse 172
| I have a dear friend in Arkansas who texts me verses that have been an encouragement to her in her quiet times and it really blesses me. I want to share His word with others around me more often as well. His Words are life and if you feel Him tugging at your heart to share a verse with someone don't hesitate to do so, even if you think it seems out of place or not the right time. It could be just what that person needs to hear. |

His word will:
be a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.-verse 105
give light and understanding.-verse 130
order my steps.-verse 133
| I especially love the above three verses because of me now going to college. There is already some talk of how we used to be apes and how famous scientists "know" there isn't a God. But by knowing the truth found in His word it gives me light in the darkness and understanding. And above all I want the Lord to order my steps and for His will to be done in my future. |
always be true from the beginning to the end.-verse 160
be better to me than thousands of gold and silver.-verse 72
| The material wealth of this world is all going to fade away, only His word will last forever! |
be sweeter than honey to me.-verse 103

"Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them." -verse 165

| One thing I love about our church is how open the people are to studying things again and again. Even if it ends with a disagreement the ambience is always peaceful and they say they may be wrong. Just a very humble and open attitude. I believe we have always tried to be that way and that it is the right way to be. If we know that we both love God's Word then we will be at peace and not get offended because of someone else following what they see the Bible to say. As long as they are truly walking with the Lord then we should focus on encouraging each other along in the Lord, not pointing fingers at things we think they're doing wrong. |

I loved breaking it down and seeing all of the many different ways we can incorporate God's word into our lives! What has the Lord been showing you in your quiet times?

love of heights

Looking down upon vibrant green pine tree tops, thousands of them covering the mountains below. The rushing brown river looking as if it is just a tiny stream winding through the trees. Leaning farther out to see a huge space of tan and gray rocky cliff side before the trees reach to meet it. Fog rises up out of the shadowed lines where slope connects to slope creating ghostly white clouds that seem to hug whatever may be below them. Looking left an enormous black vulture flies from her nest in a crooked scraggly tree growing on the side of the bluff. Experiencing a tad of vertigo as my feet dangle over the rocky ledge where I sit. Knowing that hundreds of feet separate myself from the valley floor. This is the beauty of heights. This is why I climb high to the place where I am even with an eagle riding the wind. To sit in the midst of this grand creation called earth and to truly recognize how small I am in this massive, incredible world.

{I started college August 23rd and I am enjoying the English 101 class so incredibly much. It is definitely my favorite so far. I am required to write 3 journal entries and 1 quote to bring in each week for my instructor to read. This has been very good for me and is making me be creative with my writing as there are certain words I cannot use. So I am forced to truly use my imagination and I will be sharing some of my writings with you, if you don't mind! Also these photos are from the Hemmed In Falls and the Big Bluff in Arkansas. Go to the previous post to see more pictures from us hiking those places. I feel a little silly after writing this as I consider the difference between Arkansas "mountains" and true mountains in Colorado and the like...one day I would like to climb Mount Kilimanjaro! But it is high for these parts and it was pretty amazing anyway.}

sunset after a storm

I was driving home from work in a thunderstorm, the rain pounding down on my windshield. The windshield wipers flicking the water off as soon as it hit the glass. As I got closer to home the rain slowed and the sky began to brighten after a day of dreary darkness. The sprinkling stopped, the clouds opened, and in came one of the most gorgeous sunsets I'd ever seen. Everywhere I turned my head I was in such awe. A fantastic array of golds, yellows, purples, blues, and pinks lit up the sky. A little further down the road I spotted a rainbow... Oh wait! A double rainbow! Then the sky became a blazing gold in full, silhouetting what stood in front of it and making all of the rain drops on the fences and trees shine. And I was overcome with thankfulness to the Creator of all of this for allowing me to see this beauty after a day of thunder and rain. Thankful for reminding me that without the storm there wouldn't have been a rainbow and such a stunning sunset. Just as in life, His promises hold true through the storms we each have and He has a beautiful plan that is yet to be seen. He is a good, good Father who wants good for His children! "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promises;)" - Hebrews 10:23