Steadfast Devotion

"Ponder my excellence."

I closed my eyes and listened to His tender, precious words. Lately my heart had felt cold and aching, and just to hear Him whisper in my ear warmed and healed it. Like a cup of hot tea, or a soothing oinment, the words of my King brought comfort.

Yes, my heart was aching, and I knew why. In fact, the reason alarmed me greatly. In the past week, I had read no great books, never heard a heart-wrenching sermon, had no deep spiritiual disscussions with friends or family, had no radical answers to prayer. I had numerous short comings. And when I went to Jesus, our sacred time together felt cold. Of course, I knew it was all my fault.

The question nagged me all week. Was my Christian faith built off of books, sermons, and Bible studies? Did I spend more time talking about the excellence of God, than I did pondering Him alone?

The whole week I attempted to ignore these thoughts. You can probably guess that it didn't work. I tried to stand on my own, and say, "oh well!" but my knees were weak, and it could not be done in my own strength.

So it was there on my knees, weak and ashamed, where He wrapped His arms about me and gently lifted me up and said, "ponder my excellence."

It's been and delicate and humbling process. I am human. He is God. Allowing Him to work in you is like going though heart surgery. But there is forgiveness at the foot of the cross, my dear friends! There is joy, there is peace at the foot of the cross.



Ponder the excellence of the most High. Expect excellence. Approach it. Worship and behold the awesomeness of the King. Open your heart to the fire of God's purifying promise. Allow God's work to mature you and prepare you for service.



If I continue to "build my faith" using inspiring books and moving sermons, there will always be wavering highs and lows. But, if I come to Jesus (pondering, worshipping, and expecting His excellence) with steadfast devotion, He will hold us up.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh, and refreshment to your bones. Proverbs 3 :5-8

Feeding the Flames

Some of the most frustrating times in my walk with Jesus have been the little valleys that seem to come right after we reach the mountaintops. This has always been a pattern in our relationship, and believe me when I say that it has absolutely nothing to do with Him- it's all on me.

One day I'll feel His presence so closely that I wonder why I've ever felt lonely or how I could possibly desire anything but His love. The sweetness of the hours that we spend together is unmatched, and I am completely and utterly at peace. Then a week later I'll feel almost dry and stale, as if He is in the next room and I'm not quite sure how to reach Him. Praying becomes more of a chore than a pleasure, and I feel distracted and cold when I try to spend time with Him.

I was feeling just this way at the beginning of this week, and for some reason I didn't want to admit it to Him, (as if He didn't already know,) so I sat at my piano and tried to sing to Him.

This just happened to be during our electricity-free pioneer escapade, and on this particular day I was named "Keeper of the Flame" and left in charge of our all-important wood-stove fire so that our pipes wouldn't freeze.

I kept forgetting about the fire and Jesus kept nudging me away from the piano and over to the wood-stove, where I'd poke the flames a little and add a log or two before sulking over to the piano again.

After quite a few rounds of this, I had just sat down to play when Jesus whispered, "You know, that's all you have to do."

"What? Hm?" I asked, knowing full well what He had said.

And since He knew full well that I knew full well what He had said He didn't say it again.

No matter how much wood you put on the fire, it's going to go out eventually if you don't add more. And more. And more. And more.

I can't rely on the occasional Bible-reading sessions, church services, and prayer times that I undergo if they are just that- occasional. Jesus never said, "Spend time in My presence occasionally." Instead, He advised Moses this way in Leviticus 24: "The lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord must be tended continually." This is reminiscent of what Paul advised the Thessalonians in one of the shortest verses in the Bible: "pray continually."

How profound!

It is my desire to not live a life of mountaintops and valleys when it comes to my relationship with God- He is steadfast, therefore I ought to strive to be the same way. Case closed.

Thursday's Thought

Do you think God has made mistake in your life? If instead of being a poor man you had been rich, if instead of being a lone woman you had had one to call you wife and little children to clutch your dress and call you mother, if instead of being tied to the office stool you had been a minister or missionary, you think that you would have been a better, sweeter character. But I want you to understand that God chose for you your lot in life out of myriads that were open to Him, because just where you are you might realize your noblest possibilities. Otherwise God would have made you different from what you are. But your soul, born into His kingdom, was a matter of care and thought to Him, and how best He might nurture you." F.B. Meyer

a quote to ponder...

Christ has no body on earth but yours; yours are the only hands with which He can do His work, yours are the only feet with which He can go about the world, yours are the only eyes with which His compassion can shine forth upon a troubled world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. ~Teresa of Avila

It's Not You

Show me a woman who doesn't feel overly guilty all of the time and I'll show you a flying elephant. For me, the battle is all in my mind, and maybe you're the same way. I think thoughts that I don't think I should think (don't I have a great vocabulary?) and then I feel guilty for thinking those thoughts.

Why can't I have a pure mind, God? I begged to know just yesterday. I must be a terrible person if I'm always thinking this way.

Then I began to wonder if I'll ever have a truly pure mind.

Then I began to wonder if there are any people who have truly pure minds.

Then I got very disheartened.

Then I got on my knees and opened my Bible and read the first thing my eyes fell upon.

"Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay..."

"Gee, thanks, God," I thought, "Ruth, of all people- she was practically flawless. That really helps."

He smiled at me.

Then He asked me, "What do you think she was thinking when she said that?"

"She was incredibly confident in every way, of course," I answered.

He just looked at me for a minute.

"....at least, I think so...." I looked back.

"Wait a minute!" the light suddenly dawned. "I'll bet she was scared out of her wits!"

Imagine, if you will, Naomi and Ruth. Orpah already left, weeping as she walks back down the long road home. Ruth trembles as she begins to wonder what she should do. She could return to Moab, back to the life she had always known and the family she loved. But something in her spirit knew that her destiny lay in Judah. Just as she is about to speak up and tell Naomi that she will continue to travel with her, Naomi speaks.

"Return home, Ruth!" she cries, looking back at Orpah and gesturing as if to say, "You ought to follow her example."

"Do it, Ruth," the enemy (who we always just happen to forget about) whispers. "You know what you want."

Then another Voice speaks. "Follow Me. Speak, Ruth. Silence the enemy. Speak what I have for you to say. Speak, Darling. Speak."

"Do not," Ruth stumbles over her words as she whispers, "do not persuade me to leave you, Naomi..."

Do you realize that the evil thoughts in your mind are not your own? I am constantly frustrated with myself and the thoughts in my head instead of using the authority Jesus has given me to get rid of the enemy who I unknowingly allow to speak to me day in and day out. I struggle with guilt and worry because I blame myself for the thoughts that he plagues me with.

Ruth didn't become David's great-grandmother because she was she never worried or doubted, but because she was willing to ignore the voice of the enemy and silence it with her own. It wasn't that she never had an impure thought, but that she didn't let them have any authority over her. She didn't earn a place in the lineage of the Savior of the human race because she was confident with herself, but because she was confident in the beckoning, beautiful voice of her God and she followed it.

(And, just in case you know a woman understands this already, here's this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07cDZlUgGZo&feature=related) 

A Lesson from a Snowman

Snow is melting outside, and that makes me think of only one thing: SPRING. If you haven't already noticed, for me, spring is a favorite time of year.

Of course, if I bring up the fact that 'spring is in the air', most people quickly intercede. "Um...yeah. Lindsey, we live in Michigan, remember? It like, snows here until July!"

I know that this February thaw is probably just a teaser, nonetheless I've enjoyed it. Can't say as much for Mr. Snowman:


In a matter of one night, he went from this:
to this!
Now, you're probably wondering what in the world is "spiritual" about snowmen, and why I even told you about it in the first place. I'll tell you.

Lauren and I write quite a lot of deep, serious thoughts on this blog. We want to. However, if you only looked at our posts, you'd probably get the idea that we are very deep, serious, people. And we can be. However, we both also love to laugh. We love to be filled with joy, and find humor in life. Seeing this snowman made me laugh, and I hope it brought a smile on your face, too.

So, the lesson you can learn from a melting snowman is this: don't get caught up in a stuffy, stiff-necked, grumpy state. Laughter, my friends, is the best medicine!

All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15

Elihu

If I had lived in Bible days, my very best friend would've been Elihu.

You're probably thinking, "That's great!"

"...who's Elihu?"

The book of Job is a real downer for thirty-one chapters, but the depressing read is totally worth it once you get to chapter thirty-two.

You see, Job and all of his pals have been having a pity party for a really, really long time. I've always imagined them all sitting around a campfire chatting about death and dying and sores. And this goes on for what feels like forever. Job complains, his friends try to console him, they have no clue what to say so that doesn't go so well, etc., etc., etc.

Then, finally, we arrive at chapter thirty-two and find out that there has been someone else sitting there all along- Elihu. He was absolutely silent for twenty-nine whole chapters, listening to men much older than him ramble on and on about things they didn't understand.

Then, finally, he can't take it anymore.

"But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused. So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: 'I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know. I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’"

I imagine that right now the others are all staring at dear Elihu, who is bursting out with all that he's been burning to say, with their mouths agape. He continues:

"But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right."

For the rest of the chapter, Elihu explains what he's about to say to the older, "wiser" men around him. And then comes my favorite part: he lets them have it.

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me. I am the same as you in God’s sight; I too am a piece of clay. No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy on you. But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words— ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.’ But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal."

Music to my hears. Notice how young Elihu speaks with incredible articulation and confidence, knowing that it is the Spirit of God at work within Him and nothing else. He is not speaking his own words.

For several chapters, my dear friend continues on until God comes. There is no pause between Elihu's final word and God's first. Elihu was a prologue into the beautiful clarity that God brings to Job when He finally speaks.

Elihu and I are best buds. Every single time I read his story I am inspired to pursue his wise outlook on life: listen first, let God advise you, then speak. Don't be worried about your age, your class, your experience, your knowledge- God is the one at work within you, which means that you lack nothing.   

One Year Later...

Lauren and I were enjoying the last bit of our evening together. We had been sitting on opposite ends of the cozy sofa, warmed by the woodstove. We both looked at each other and smiled. It's one of those looks that say more than words--it's as if, for a moment, both of your hearts are connected, with the same hope and love. The two of us were quiet. I love the fact that we are perfectly happy together in silence, and don't feel as if we must always be talking.

In that quiet moment, I started to think about all the adventures Jesus had taken us on in the past months. Every step we took, He tenderly and gently guided us along the way. Every joy, answer to prayer, every desire, every new idea, it was all because of our beloved King.


"Jesus," I said, within my heart, "how in the world did I deserve a friend like this, one who is so much like me?"


"You don't deserve her," He said with a smile. "However, I placed you together for a reason- never forget that."


I know without a doubt that Lauren and I are what you call kindred spirits. That we were meant to pursue Jesus together.


A year ago, we didn't know what to expect with this blog. We chose templates, photos, wrote, and prayed. I don't think we expected that this blog would challenge us as much as it has. In many ways, we both see things much differently than we did we year ago. And, we are certainly not the same two girls we were last February.


In fact, we are stronger, more excited, and more in love with our precious Savior--and with this walk in the light--than we ever have been before. It's true!


Dear friends, thank you, for walking with us. Thank you for reading our ponderings, our boasting in Jesus Christ. Jesus alone is worth our lives. Strive after Him. Abandon all else for Him. Know Him, listen to His voice. Love Him to the very core of your soul. Put Him above all. Know that life is not a ho-hum one! Life is a God-scripted love story. And, it is meant to be lived by all of us.


I am passionately in love with my Prince. I marvel at Him, He sends me to my knees in worship and awe. A year from now, I hope so very much that I am only more in love, deeper, stronger, more passionate--so that I can truly say that every breath I take is worship to my Prince.

A First Anniversary Note from Lauren

Lindsey and I are so much alike that we usually go through the same emotions at the same time, whether we're sitting next to each other or we're hundreds of miles apart. When we get together we're usually wearing the same colors or have the same hairstyle. And sometimes we have the exact same ideas without ever having mentioned them to each other.

This blog is a perfect example. Our deep, thought-provoking conversation about beginning it went something like this:

"So, I've been thinking that we should start a blog."

"Really? It was one of my goals to do that this summer!"

"Great! We should do that. Let's go eat some ice cream."

Case in point.

It's been a year since we began this journey. 177 posts later, we're not the same people that we were on Valentine's Day, 2010. Not even close. In fact, the Lauren that I was then is barely reminiscent of the Lauren I am now. And, hopefully, the same thing is true for you.

Whether you've been journeying along with us since we began or you just followed a link for the first time today, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for seeking Jesus with us. He is worth everything that we are and everything that we have. I can't tell you how many people I've watched and wondered, "What would their life look like if they handed it over to Him?" And, in following along with what Jesus has been teaching us, you are taking steps right along with us as we strive to know Him more. Striving to be more like Him and striving to follow in His steps are two of the hardest, most beautiful things you will ever do.

Never be content to stay as you are. Never say to yourself, "I think I've finally arrived!" Never be satisfied with just being a lukewarm, shoulder-shrugging, half-full, flabby sort of Christian.

We can always know Him more. We can always reflect Him more. We can always praise Him more. We can always pull those journeying with us closer to Him.

On this beautiful Valentine's Day, I would like to propose a toast to you. And since I'm too young for champagne, I raise my tea cup high and say, "Here's to never being satisfied with anything but the greatest, most beautiful, most adventurous love story of all time with the most beautiful Lover there is. May we be able to look back on this day in 2012 and say, 'I'm not the same as I was, because He has propelled me foward into the destiny that He ordained for me before He laid the foundations of the world.'"

His Compassion

It was a freezingly cold evening last week, and I sat at a very high bench in a warmly lit dining room at a retirement home in the podunk town of Three Rivers. It was "Family Night," the monthly party where the families of the residents gather for desserts and entertainment. As I sat there singing love songs and playing Chopin's "Minute Waltz," I couldn't help but wonder how on earth this could be a blessing to the heart of my King and how it could draw these precious people closer to Him.

Well, we had an intermission and ate homemade black cherry ice cream and cookies and chatted, and then I played and sang for another half hour and all was merry. Then we all sang hymns and then it was over.

I began to put away all of my books when a flood of people came up to me. They all complimented me, and one kind man even handed me $5 with a smile and said, "To help pay for gas." Still, it didn't feel as though I had really done anything for Jesus.

Just as I was getting ready to leave, a woman walked up to me, her expression rather solemn. As she drew nearer to me, she put her hands on my arms and looked up into my eyes. She looked as though she was about to cry.

Before she even spoke, such a compassion and deep love for this precious woman welled up inside of me that all I could do was smile and look into her eyes.

"Thank you," she began to cry, and I held her in my arms like you would a heartbroken child.

"I'm sorry. This is my first day here," she began. "I went to the doctor at nine thirty this morning and they didn't want me to go home alone. I didn't want to be here today, and I was late getting here tonight because we were still getting my things from home. But I used to want to be an opera singer, and your performance tonight was exactly what I needed."

Just when you think that what you have to offer is insignificant, God will prove Himself to be the Author of your story in the most beautiful ways.

Trust Him today.

And, if you have an extra twenty minutes, watch this video.

And, if you don't have an extra twenty minutes, watch this video.

I saw it the other morning at a music teacher's convention, and I can't explain exactly how God used it to touch me, but I left WMU feeling extremely inspired. Even if you haven't the slightest interest in classical music (it's not exactly on my top list of priorities) there is something about Benjamin Zander's smile and his advice that captivated me, and I hope it does the same thing for you. May we all strive to never leave a room without leaving behind "shining eyes."

http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html

As the hand is made for holding and the eye for seeing, You have fashioned me for joy. Share with me the vision that shall find it everywhere; in the wild violet's beauty; in the lark's melody; in the face of a steadfast; in a child's smile; in a mother's love; in the purity of Jesus. -Gaelic Prayer

His Desire is For Me

After eighteen years of friendship, Lindsey and I have still never run out of things to talk about for hours on end. Still, more times than we could count, we've found ourselves asking each other, "Have I told you this before?"

I realized to an even greater degree what a true kindred spirit she was when one day she answered with a smile, "Yes, but you can tell me again." So I did, and we laughed just as hard as we had the first time I shared my story.

You can tell me again. How many friends do you have who are gladly willing to listen to your stories over and over again?

The other night, I was sitting with Jesus eating dinner and I asked Him point blank why He loved me.

Sometimes, I wonder if His "voice" is really His voice or just me trying to pretend like I'm God. Other times, there's not a doubt in my mind that it's Him because I would never think of what it is that He says to me.

This was one of those times.

"Because you are all that I desire."

I put down my fork and stared at the wall in disbelief.




Have you ever thought about that?

Have you ever considered the fact that the Christian walk might not be about all about us, but about His desire for us?

Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus is aching for your love- aching for your time and your devotion?

So tell Him your stories. Tell Him about your day. Tell Him about your worries, your fears, your joys, your heart, and everything about this incredible confusing world that has you puzzled. He delights to hear your voice. Tears in your eyes cause them to pour down His cheeks.Your smile makes Him laugh. He sees past every bit of your insecure, superficial facade and straight into the depths of your heart.

When you don't necessarily feel like spending time in His presence, remember that it's not about you or your feelings. His desire- a passionate, overflowing, overwhelming desire- is for you. And, in the process of letting Him touch the depths of your soul, you will discover the most beautiful peace, love and joy that you could ever desire.

"I belong to my Beloved, and His desire is for me." Song of Songs 7:10

"Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the King be enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord." Psalm 45:10-11

A Letter from Abba

Psalm 101

I will ponder the way that is blameless.

Oh when will you come to me?

I will walk with integrity of heart

I will not set my eyes before anything that is worthless.

Dear Child,

What's worthless, my child? What's worthless that is in your very heart? Pride, selfishness, arrogance, fear, satisfying the flesh? More than anything do I want to be with you--to live in your own heart. Breath me, my child! Live a radical life, set apart for me.

You serve me, read books about me, sing about me, listen to sermons about me, but, child, I want you to know me-to be in my presence. I've got a plan for you, precious child! No other place will bring you fullness of joy, except in my presence.

Trust in me, put your hope in me. Give me your questions and fears.

I love you, my child.

Do you love me?

-Daddy

"Son-shine"

I pulled back the curtains at 7:30 a.m.--the sky was a clear blue, and it was welcomed sight to see. Not a particularly outstanding morning, but it was pretty.

Slowly, I began to make the bed. Things in my heart seemed a little fuzzy. It was as if there was something Jesus wanted me to change, but instead of just asking Him what was, I squirmed, as if I almost didn't want to know. Perhaps you've felt like that before, too. Unlike the clear sky, my heart and mind were clouded.

As I was praying to Him about this, I looked back out my window. The magnificent, golden sun was rising with the coming day. To my surprise, because of the beautiful light, the landscape had completely altered. The deep white snow sparkled. The sky turned to a warm pink. And the trees, leafless though they were, looked like lacy arms, praising the King of creation. What a sight!

Then and there I knew the answer. I was like that morning before the sun came up. Just okay. Jesus wanted me to allow Him, (the "Son") to rise in my heart, and alter everything. To build everything around Him, (for doesn't the earth revolve around the sun?) to be completely consumed and passionately intimate with Him alone.

When we choose to let the Son rise in our life, everything changes. Things become golden and bright. The radiance of Jesus shines through.

"Those who look to Him are radient, and their faces shall never be ashamed." Psalm 34:5

To Know Him

 

I'm still stuck on Philippians 3. Over and over again I keep hearing, "My goal is to know Him," repeated in my mind. Paul didn't say, "One of my goals is to know Him." No, he only had one goal. Pondering this, I've begun to wonder how many of us really, truly know Him.

Often, I think our saying that we "know" Jesus is a bit like someone who is a big fan of our president saying that they're friends with him. They may have read books about him, read his autobiography, watched him speak live, watched him every time he's on TV- maybe they've written him a couple of letters or they even shook his hand once. They could go so far as to sing songs about him and hang pictures of him all over their walls and write blog posts about him, (hmm...,) and maybe they say "Praise Obama!" all of the time and talk about him everywhere they go, but they still wouldn't even know him, let alone be friends with him.

So what would it take to be friends with our president? A one-sided conversation once in awhile? What about more frequent conversations like this:

"Hello, Mr. President! I just love you. You're so great....and, while I have your attention, could you please do something about this economy? And my ailing grandfather? And my low income? And my high taxes?"

Please don't think that I'm saying Jesus doesn't delight in answering our prayers, because I know for a fact that He does, but, even with many proven answers to prayer, can we really say that we know Him?

Not usually.

So what does it take?

I'm going to take our little example of being friends with the president a step further- what if our huge fan, with the exact same examples of their relationship, claimed that she was married to the president?

"But," you might argue, "if she never speaks with him or lives with him or experiences any intimacy with him, how in the world is that possible?"

Well, it's not.

Then how can we, who do the very same things that our fan does with Jesus in mind, claim to know Him in a way deeper than any relationship on earth, including marriage, can even come close to?

If all we ever do is sing Him a song and read a couple of chapters in the Bible once in awhile, we'll never know Him. And if we never know Him, we're never going to experience the beauty of a passionate love story with Him. And if we're not experiencing a passionate love story with Him, then we're not really living the Christian life.

So, again I ask, what does it take?  

Think, if you will, of a very dear friend. Someone you've known for a long time. Someone, if you have the privilege of knowing such a person, who knows you better than you know yourself.

What did it take?

Hours upon hours upon hours upon hours of intentional, uninterrupted time. Leaving yourself behind to become all-consumed with the mind of another person until you've heard all of their opinions and you know their thoughts before they become words.
He already knows us this way, but now it's our turn. And the only place to truly get to know Him is on our knees, having abandoned self and distraction in such a way that there is only One thing left to focus on.

"I want to know Christ..." Philippians 3:10

Becoming

Note: Just to warn you, this is going to be one of those "stream-of-consciousness" posts. If you don't know what that means, you fell asleep in English class too much.

P.S. for the Note: You must listen to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAI2doCUbNc whilst reading the post.

P.P.S. for the Note: That is all. =)

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11

I can't even begin to tell you how often I hear things like, "Well, compared to most people, I'm doing great!" Who is the standard supposed to be again? Oh, yeah- Jesus. And He was perfect.

"Well, there's no way anybody expects me to be like that! I can try and try, but I'll never be perfect, and God knows that. He accepts me just the way I am."

Yes, He does.

And then He says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Those are Jesus' words from Matthew 5, and I personally believe that He meant them. But that's just me.

"Well, then, what do you propose, because I know I'll never be perfect."

I hear your thoughts loud and clear.

Well, Paul put it this way: "...becoming like Him." Always striving to be more like our Jesus, never being complacent or satisfied with mediocrity or anything less than perfection. I can always be more full of joy, more abounding of His love, more accepting of His peace, more persistent in prayer, more pure in my intentions.

This thought has been on my mind for the past couple of months, just about the same amount of time as I've been listening to and playing the beautiful song that you're supposed to be listening to right now. I printed off the music never having heard it before, but I liked the way it looked. I was so thrilled with the way it sounded when I sat down to play it. Yesterday I decided to look up the meaning of its Italian title, Divenire.

To become. "Divenire" means to become.

Strive, my dear friends and never settle. Study the life of Jesus. Pray for grace to become like Him. It's my prayer that, until the day I die, I never take a step backward, but only move forward in the grace and power of becoming more like my beloved, precious Jesus.  

"A good many are kept out of the service of Christ, deprived of the luxury of working for God, because they are trying to do some great thing. Let us be willing to do little things. And let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source." D. L. Moody