HA!

This is wonderful. I feel like I just stole my brain back from the enemy.

I get so busy and my mind ends up being on nothing. Yet it's so occupied there's no room for remembering why I was created--to worship, spend time with my Creator, and THEN share that love with the many people I see every day. That is ultimately why I'm busy. So that I can share His love in more places, with more people. It is such a privilege. How dare I begin work with such angst.

Done.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Starting right off the bat with a very recent journal entry of mine..

God, I believe this desire has come from You, the desire to take care of someone, to care for them, to help them, to be there for them always in everything..Desire to be loyal to someone. That is from You because that is who You are. And I thank you for that. Since that is all from you I pray that I only do right with it. I pray that I fully allow you to lead that--to keep it hidden when need be but to keep it out at the right time with the right people so I don't desire to stay close and be loyal to people who shouldn't be my friends, or to any guy when it's simply not the right guy, or the right time.
I think this goes along also with my desire to feel needed. God, help me to see and be open to how You need me. To how I can be loyal to you and your Word. And how you need me to do that because it is an important thing! Because that is your will and calling for my life. That is what will fulfill my desire. That obeying you and being loyal to YOU will allow you to bring someone into my life who is so great for me and who will allow me to fulfill these great desires-- of loyalty and feeling needed--even more.
I love this desire, I love and want only all of Your desires, nothing more, nothing less. Break my heart for what breaks your heart.

Lately God has been telling me how He needs me. Now, I know in a huge way He doesn't REALLY need us, but He's created us with a desire to feel needed and in order for His purpose and plan for us to be fulfilled (He did create us for a reason--to glorify Him), we NEED to obey Him and be loyal to Him. With that said, I'm asking him to show me how I'm needed because this has been an important part of my thoughts lately. I'm seeing these disastrous circumstances. Whether they're physically disastrous like what's been going on in Japan, or spiritual where I see the enemy working in my friends' lives. I have hard times because I see my sisters going through hard things. I have hard times because I see where the enemy is lying to me..or don't see it but am knowing he is in some way. I'm not trying to say I have a perfect life, or that any of you should be jealous. But overall I am a very healthy person in a healthy life with good friends and family to keep me strong..and well if I'm honest I'll tell you that I do feel like I have it super easy sometimes. I've heard the prayer requests of my friends and seen much more difficult things lately, and I start to almost get frustrated that I'm not going through half of what some of them are. I asked a friend "Why do I have it so easy?" After hearing me talk and be confused over being so blessed, he finally was able to tell me that God knows my life and has reason for it. If a person needs somebody, I am (most of the time) able to be there for them.
He is for me so He does not want bad things in my life! He doesn't wish negative things on anyone.

So, whoever you are, whatever you need, I am here for you. And I am still young but I am not ashamed to say to whoever my future man is, I am excited to meet you, and then be there for you.

I will give You my heart because I want Yours, Lord!
~No I in Ivy~

P.S. Speaking of Japan..my brother-in-law and a couple others I am close to are probably going soon to help with everything. I am very, very thankful I did not have to go through anything the people of Japan are going through. Praying for them.

Also, please feel free to reply (or send a personal msg) with any prayer requests you have, or anything you'd like to talk about.

I love you:)

How He Loves or How He Gives?

My prayer is that I not only grasp His love for me when I see what He's placed right in front of me as a gift..but that I grasp the love knowing that it's the love in itself that is the biggest gift (only one I truly need) and He is completely worthy of my praise and affection whether or not He gives anything extra. His love for me is not based on what He gives me. He is giving me love constantly by being present and choosing to live in me. 

Sometimes it's harder to find our love for God even when He's not giving us good things or what we want in the time that we want them. But my prayer is that I love Him always, knowing that He would still be perfect even if He didn't do anything for me. He would still be perfect because I don't deserve the greatness He shows me and the abundant life He gives me. His love for me is not based on what He gives me or even what He does for me. He loves me perfectly, He could never love me any more or less.

However...He gave me something so awesome yesterday and this is what happened before I started thinking about all this business..  I was listening to How He Loves and driving home..the weather was gorgeous..and there was this group of birds flying around and I swear they were dancing to my music. to His music.. They flew slowly but together for 4 counts. For the next 4 counts the black birds flapped their wings with white underneath, so quickly it looked like glitter! This happened twice in a row and then they flew off into the sun. It was so awesome! Especially to the song How He Loves.

Then last night at youth we were singing songs about His love and I just wanted to thank God for everything. so I not only thanked Him for what He has given me, but for what He takes from me. 

Another thought important to me came up from that..

He takes bad things from us, but sometimes we want those things, things that are not good for us. And often when we don't get it, we'll begin to ignore God to chase after it. What I want to do is run to God, ask Him why and just remember that I am supposed to obey Him and THEN know I can get what I ask for (1 John 3:22) because when we're close to God like that we're just not going to desire things He does not.

Addicted to Love by Florence + the Machine just came on :) yes I am. 

I'm starting to catch more about what His glory means..how incredible it is and beyond us it is. maybe one day I can write about it even though there are no words. But just if we think about His unfathomable glory it should not disappoint us when things don't come out our way. 

Ah, here we  go..

1 Chronicles 16:23-27 (msg translation)

Sing to God, everyone and everything! Get out his salvation news every day! Publish his glory among the godless nations, his wonders to all races and religions. And why? Because God is great--well worthy of praising! No god or goddess comes close to honor. All the popular gods are stuff and nonsense, but God MADE the cosmos! Splendor and majesty flow out of him, strength and joy fill his place.

2 Corinthians 6:10 (also msg)

Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Be joyful in all circumstances, because there is reason to. There's actually no reason NOT to! 

And I could talk about joy forever but this is why I'm a dancer. 

Favorite song right now: Something In the Water ~ Brooke Fraser

I think I'll create a dance to that today..