The Lord is good

“The Lord is good and His mercy endureth forever.” (my paraphrase)

     That verse keeps coming to mind at random these days. I am assured of it when mindful of the Lord’s blessings; I remind myself of it when I wonder how I can handle my life. He is good--always. Thursday it took on a new dimension.

     “Off to my first chemistry quiz!” I told Kendall as I passed her studying in a hall at school. “Oh don’t worry about it! You’ll be fine!” She assured me, recounting her experience in the class last fall. I really felt pretty good about it. I knew I had studied to the best of my ability, so all I had left to do was give it my best shot. 

     Several minutes later as I looked down at the first few quiz questions, I began to feel a bit apprehensive. These ones are harder than the ones on the practice quizzes! Maybe it will become easier later on—and hopefully I get the Extra Credit Questions at the end. Some of it was a piece of cake, but some of it wasn’t. When I found myself stumped over a strange unit conversion only halfway through the quiz I decided to stop and pray. I surrendered my quiz completely to the One who is the creator and master of chemistry and asked that He would guide me through the quiz if it was His will and give me peace with whatever lay ahead. With that, I continued. More puzzling questions lay ahead, which I had to skip over for the time being, and the EC questions at the end were disappointingly difficult. However, as I progressed, the solutions to what had been stumping me on previous problems came flashing into my head and I was able to go back and solve them. With the answer blanks suddenly filling, that verse came to my mind again, “The Lord is good and His mercy endureth forever.” He is good. I could hardly believe this was really happening to me, but at last I had completed my test, given it to my teacher, and found myself dashing off across campus to work. The Lord is good. He cares about me. He cares about the small things. He is my friend, and He is faithful.

     That night, I found myself grappling with another problem—a decision that seemed to have no answer. I had prayed and prayed and prayed that the Lord would show me the way and it seemed that Heaven remained silent on the matter. I knew I couldn’t find the answer myself; I knew God had a solution; I knew that He would reveal His will to me at the time necessary. This night it seemed that perhaps the time would never come. I needed my answer right away. I must admit that doubts ran through my head just then, but then the experience of but a few hours before came to mind along with that verse: “The Lord is good, and His mercy endureth forever.” He is good now too, just like always, I reminded myself. Then the question came flashing into my thoughts, “Can you wait just a little bit longer?” well, I thought, sure I can. Where has my faith fled to anyway? With that I began reciting to myself “The Lord is good and His mercy endureth forever” time and time again emphasizing a different word each time. The more I said it the more real it became. Before dropping into bed late that night, I prayed that the Lord would help me to find strength/direction in His Word. I pulled up the EGW app on my iPod and found it open to Ps. 27—about waiting on the Lord and seeking Him always. Then for some reason I decided to search the word “dwell.” Randomly I chose a passage from the midst of the search, Ps. 107. Beginning in verse four, I read to the end of the chapter. This time it was all about God’s guidance of His people and how He always came through for them. Most importantly to me, every few verses it said, “Oh that men would praise the Lord…” Where had my praise gone? With the assurance that I should simply continue to wait on the Lord and praise Him in the meantime, I decided to look at verses 1-3 before concluding. To my amazement, verse one says, “…for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.” He is. Always. Before I had even rolled from bed the next morning, my answer had come. 

Blogpost written by: Ellie K. (Note that the account was originally written in early October).

The View from the Top

A couple months ago, I flew up to northern Maine to visit my grandparents for a couple weeks. This was also where we used to live, so I got to see many old friends as well. It was definitely a blessing to see everyone, and spend time with my grandparents! 

Mt. Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, is located within an hour and a half of my grandparents' house. We have hiked in Baxter State Park many times before, but this time I wanted to hike Knife's Edge. 

This section of the trail is 1.1 mi long, and is right on the top of the mountain, with thousand foot drops on either side. I had wanted to hike this trail for several years, but had never done it. While I was visiting my grandparents, I decided that this was my only chance to do it, and I decided that I was going to hike it. Even if I had to do it alone. (I tried to find some hiking companions, but no one was available at the time.)

My grandma reserved a lean-to "cabin" at a campground in the park, and we stayed there for a couple nights. Early in the morning, I started off on my hike. 10 miles and many hours later, I walked tiredly, and yet triumphantly back to my grandparents car. I had done it.

But while climbing, I learned lessons. Lessons of trust. Lessons of beauty. Lessons in faith. Lessons in prayer.

I didn't hike alone. Jesus and the angels hiked with me. The lesson and blessings gained from this experience, I wouldn't trade for anything.

But the thought that I am holding onto right now is this. The view from the top of the mountain was spectacular. Nothing could obstruct my view of the changing leaves on the trees far below. The great blue sky. The ponds and lakes glittering in the sunshine.

True, the hike was long and grueling. For several hours, I didn't have any spectacular views to enjoy. It wasn't easy. But when you get up on the mountaintop. You see the beauty. The long hike was worth it.

Friends, the same is true for us in our daily walks of life. We are hiking a mountain. Many mountains, in fact. Sometimes every day is a mountain to climb. The climb isn't easy. It isn't painless. But isn't the unobstructed view when we reach the top worth it? When we can clearly see how the Lord has led us, and we can see His goodness without obstruction.

The path may be long. It may be rough. And sometimes you might even stumble. But Jesus will hike with you, and give you the strength. And when you reach the top, you will praise Him. Because He is good. He is beautiful.

And then. When you hike back down into the valley from the mountaintop again, treasure the mountain top experiences. Treasure the memories. Review the past. "We have nothing to fear for the future, except we forget how the Lord has led us in the past." - E.G.W Another mountaintop experience will come if you keep climbing. The valleys don't last forever. 

God is beautiful. 

Every upward step is worth the sweat, the pain, the tears.

So keep climbing those mountains. And when you have those unobstructed views of Him, share them with others. It might just give them the courage to hike those mountains too, and gain those experiences for themselves. 

Keep climbing! 

Blogpost written by: Harmony M. (Originally published on hegivethmoregrace.weebly.com. Edited). 

Blessed and Broken

Have you ever wondered why it seems like this world is so full of pain? Have you ever wondered why you seem to suffer more than your share of hardships and trials? Have you ever wondered why you always felt broken in pieces till no one could ever pick you up and put you back together again?

You're not alone.

And yet, really, is being broken something we should fear? Do we not sing the song, "Take My Life and Let It Be" and feel like we are ready to give up anything and everything to serve Him more? Why then are we surprised when the winds blow, and the rains pour down, and we feel like we'll never see the sun again? Is not this what we have asked for?

What if He can't use us till we have been broken? What if the best way to make us into His image is to send us trials and teach us to lean more heavily on Him? What if it is through being broken that we are blessed the most?

                    "His hands they're calloused strong but gentle, as He holds me to His breast.
                            His eyes they are lifted to the heavens as He asks that I be blessed.
                            But then I feel a ripping pain, I sense the blood burst from my veins,
                            and I wonder how this could possibly be love.

                           Hardly daring I glance into His eyes, and it is then I start to realize:

                            I’m blessed and broken, as a token, of a love I can’t deny.
                            I’m torn in pieces, by my Jesus, the only way to beautify.
                           Though the pain be bittersweet, this transformation He will complete.
                           I’m blessed and broken, for only brokenness can heal.

                           His fingers hold my broken pieces as I struggle through my tears.
                           His heart it's throbbing right beside mine as I overcome my fears.
                           And just when I feel at my end, one final thing He must still rend,
                           And I wonder how this could possibly be love.

                         Hardly daring, I glance into His eyes, and it is then again I realize:

                         I'm blessed and broken, as a token, of a love I can't deny.
                         I'm torn in pieces, by my Jesus, the only way to beautify.
                         Though the pain be bittersweet, this transformation He will complete.
                         I'm blessed and broken, for only brokenness can heal.

                         His arms it reaches for my pieces, as I wrestle with the pain.
                         His hands they give me to another that my life I might regain.
                         With another's pain above my own I find healing that I've never known.
                          And I start to see how this could possibly be love.

                       With a smile, I glance into His eyes, and it is then I fully realize:

                        I'm blessed and broken, as a token, of a love I can't deny.
                        I'm torn in pieces, by my Jesus, the only way to beautify.
                       Though the pain be bittersweet, this transformation He will complete.
                       I'm blessed and broken, for only brokenness can heal."*

               

Dear friends, will you let yourself be broken by the hands that love you? Because maybe it's only through being broken, that you can be blessed.

(Blogpost written by: Harmony M.) 
* Song by: Glesni Mason. Used by permission. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1y6hU5MDVo

Chosen of God Youth Ministry

Before we start posting a lot of posts on this blog, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the purposes of this blog.

This blog has arisen out of a youth ministry called Chosen of God. We are a youth ministry for girls, ages 12-21. In Isaiah 43:1 God says, "I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." As today's youth, we believe we are Christ's final and chosen generation, appointed to turn this aging world upside-down. Do you sometimes wonder how God can use you?  The members of Chosen of God Youth Ministry are seeking to, through various means, encourage one-another in their relationships with Jesus, for knowing Christ is the first step in sharing Christ. Christ has promised to be our teacher, and so we are seeking to learn of Him and apply His methods.

“He who serves under the blood-stained banner of Emmanuel often has that to do which calls for heroic effort and patient endurance. But the soldier of the cross stands unshrinkingly in the forefront of the battle. As the enemy presses the attack against him, he turns to the Stronghold for aid; and as he brings to the Lord the promises of the Word, he is strengthened for the duties of the hour. He realizes his need of strength from above. The victories that he gains do not lead to self-exaltation, but cause him to lean more and more heavily on the Mighty One. Relying upon that power, he is enabled to present the message of salvation so forcibly that it awakens an answering chord in other minds.”  {GW 16.2} Some of us young people don’t know what specific work God is calling us to, but we can be sure He does have one. Right now we need to use every opportunity granted us to better fit us for whatever that work may be. The “every-day” trials we face, are training us for the greater tests ahead. Right now, we need to make Christ our Stronghold and ingrain those promises of His Word in our minds. If we wait until the crisis to strike up a friendship and store promises, it will be too late. Let’s prepare for the battle now. We hope by this group to encourage other young girls in their relationship with Christ and their quest to find God’s plan for their individual lives.

Members of this group do several different things together.

1. We are reading through a book (currently - Christ's Object Lessons) together--a section each day. Then, once a week, we share our thoughts about what we read, with each other through a group email system.

2. Chosen of God members each have another girl assigned to them as a prayer partner. Each prayer partner team will correspond with each other as often as possible, and share devotional thoughts, prayer requests, and pray with each other.

3. Each week, members also commit a Bible passage to memory together. There's no better activity than hiding God's Word in our hearts!

We seek through this blog to share with you devotional thoughts, mission updates, object lessons, and other encouraging posts written by our girls. We pray you will be blessed!

Chosen Vessel

Chosen  Vessel

The Master was searching for a vessel to use.
Before Him were many, which one would He choose?

"Take me," cried the gold one. "I'm shiny and bright,
I'm of great value and I do things just right.
My beauty and luster will outshine the rest.
For someone like you, Master, gold would be best."

The Master passed on with no word at all.
And looked at a silver urn, grand and tall.
"I'll serve you, Master, I'll pour out your wine.
I'll be on your table whenever you dine.
My lines are so graceful, my carving so true.
And silver will always complement you."

Unheeding, the Master passed on to the brass,
Wide-mouthed and shallow and polished like glass.
"Here, here!" cried the vessel, "I know I will do,
Place me on your table for all men to view."

"Look at me," called the goblet of crystal so clear,
"My transparency shows my contents so dear.
Though fragile am I, I will serve you with pride,
And I'll be happy in your house to abide."

Then the Master came next to a vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it very solidly stood.
"You may use me, dearest Master," the wooden bowl said.
"But I'd rather you used me for fruit, not for bread."

Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay.
Empty and now broken, it helplessly lay.
No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose,
To cleanse, and to make whole, to fill and to use.

"Ah! Now this is the vessel I've been hoping to find.
I'll mend it and use it and make it mine.
I need not the vessel with pride of itself,
Nor one that is narrow to sit on the shelf,
Nor one that is big-mouthed and shallow and loud,
Nor one that displays his contents so proud,
Nor the one who thinks he can do things just right.
But this plain vessel filled with power and might."

Then gently He "lifted up" the vessel of clay,
Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day:
He let the vessel know -- "There's much work to do...
You are to pour out to others, as I pour into you." 

Acts 9:15 (NKJV) "But the Lord said to him,
'Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name
before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel."

 -Author Unknown