PR30 – Day 23 March 17, 2010

PR30 – Day 23 (March 17)

I’ll Stand

Song by Hillsong

This morning I am listening to this song. 

It melts me. 

 

You stood before creation
Eternity in your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

 

You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon your shoulders
My soul now to stand

 

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, Oh God
Completely to you

 

So I’ll walk upon salvation
Your spirit alive in me
This life to declare your promise
My soul now to stand

 

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, Oh God
Completely to you

 

I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all
I’ll stand
My soul Lord to you surrendered
All I am is yours

 

 

PR30 – Day22

PR30 – Day 22 (March 16)

Sound

Music is powerful. It touches our hearts in a deep place. It moves our spirit. It inspires. It allows us to reflect, worship, communicate, and release our emotions.

I was made to worship Him, and part of that includes music. That’s not all of course, but that’s part of worship. Through music, through song, through instruments, I long to worship the King in Spirit and truth.

There is power in music. Sound waves can literally shift the climate. I’m not talking anything weird or hocus-pocus. As I listened to Ray Hughes messages on worship, I was struck with the science of music and sound waves. I don’t quite understand the details of all of the science behind music and sound waves, but I am excited to learn more about it all, it is truly fascinating.

Look at the Bible story from 2 Chronicles 20, when King Jehoshaphat went to battle. The Lord instructed him to put the worshipers in front of the army. What? That seems strange, huh? But, that was the Lord’s battle plan…so who is going to argue with that? Let’s have a little faith people. If God tells us to do something, we better do it. Come on! Check out what happened when King Jehoshaphat obeyed the Commander and Chief…

He told them they would not have to fight in this battle, that it was the Lord’s to fight. That’s what I’m talking about! Do you have battles in your own life right now? Do you struggle with things that you know the Lord wants to give you victory over? I have a good friend who gives me the following advice when I am in a “battle” of sorts, “Praise Him Heather, just praise Him.” Haha, I love it! The first time she said it, it caught me off guard. Now, I’ve begun to embrace this mentality. Not all the time, but I am learning. When I am in a place of struggle, I want to see past it, already see His glory on it, already see VICTORY!

I wish to praise Him on the battlefield.

PR30 – Day 21

PR30 – Day 21 (March 15)

Spirit of Adoption

Oh, Lord your heart cries out for the orphan. Thank you for sharing your heart with me. You saw us, lonely and broken, in need of redemption. You picked us up and wiped our tears, healed our wounds and took us into your family. By the blood of Jesus I am redeemed and can call you Abba Father. What a glorious and beautiful picture of adoption.

There is a longing in my heart for adoption. When the timing is right, Lord you will make a way. I desire to take in those who have been neglected, rejected, hurt…to love them. To wipe their tears and to take them into my family. To share the love of our heavenly Father with them. To embrace them. To teach them and walk through life with them.

Lord prepare me.

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Romans 8:15-17

PR30 – Day 20

PR30 – Day 20 (March 14)

 

Excellence

“Heather, there is a difference between excellence and perfection.” These words were spoken to me by my supervisor five years ago while I was working with a ministry over the summer. They have stuck on me like superglue ever since. For some reason, I have struggled with perfectionism for the majority of my life…until that point. I felt I had to do things perfect, or I didn’t even want to try. I would keep at it, critiquing myself along the way. Not wanting any type of mistake, blemish, or mark on what I was doing, just wanted it to be perfect. It didn’t matter what it was…dance, artwork, school work, projects, performances, my job responsibilities, planning, preparation, relationships…basically everything. I would beat myself up when things were less than perfect. Not a way to live. Pretty stressful at times. Such pressure. Since this person has given this advice, I have learned to strive for EXCELLENCE and not perfection. There is only one who is perfect, and that certainly is not me. I desire to be a woman of excellence…with this there is freedom. Freedom to make mistakes, to learn and grow from them.

Lord, help me to live a life of excellence. I desire to be excellent at loving people as you do. It’s all about love. You are more concerned with my heart motives behind the thing, than the thing itself.

Let me move in a heart of love.

 

“Whatever you do, work heartily as for the LORD and not men, knowing that from the LORD you will receive the inheritance as your reward.  You are serving the LORD Jesus Christ.”

Colossians 3:23

PR30 – Day 19

PR30 – Day 19 (March 13)

Expectations

I’m a dreamer. High hopes. Big plans. Lots of vision. Foresight. Thoughts of the future are always pushing through the present in my thoughts. Expectations. Desires. Passion. Mostly to see the Lord move and bring His Kingdom to move people’s hearts, heal, restore, redeem, provide, and protection.

 These are not bad things, but sometimes my expectations have gotten me in trouble. I have a plan in my mind, a thought, a picture of how I think things might happen…and perhaps that is my flesh and not the spirit inside of me. It is something that I am constantly surrendering to the Lord. We grow and learn from our mistakes, of which I have made many. His way is always the BEST. I have learned this lesson over and over again…especially in the area of expectations and timing.

I started to make a list of specific areas in which I have had expectations, then deleted it.  Really, it is not beneficial to travel down that road again.  Submitted to the Lord for His timing and His best.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20-21

My desire is to align my thoughts, my dreams, my hopes with yours Lord…let them become one.

 

“Trust in the LORD, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
 Delight yourself in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4

PR30 – Day 18

PR30 – Day 18  (March 12)

PRESENCE

Definitions of Pres*ence :

The state or fact of being present; current existence or occurrence.

Immediate proximity in time or space.

The area immediately surrounding a great personage, especially a sovereign.

A person who is present.

 

We must recognize that HIS presence is always with us.  At times we might feel He is distant, or uncaring…those things are simply not true.  Even in the daily tasks of life, the routines, the mundane or not so adventurous…He is present.  The more I recognize this, the more I am filled with revelation of His love for me.  He cares.  He is there.  So, whether I am washing the dishes, taking care of grades, hanging with friends, or worshipping, He is there!

Let us embrace His presence. 

Soak it in friends.

“Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
   your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    your judgments are like the great deep;
   man and beast you save, O LORD.

  How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
   The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
   and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light do we see light.”

Psalm 36:5-9

PR30 – Day 17

PR30 – Day 17 (March 11)

The Desert

I’ve learned a bit about waiting since moving to Cairo. Expectations not fulfilled. Dreams not reality. Desires not met. It’s been a desert of sorts. I have longed for more in the desert. More intimacy with Jesus. More revelation. More truth. More of Him. Refreshing rain!

Yes, it has been a stripping experience. A refining one with many challenges, which has taught me much.

I am thankful.

My heart sings.

I am coming out of the desert leaning on my beloved.

I have no regrets. This is exactly where I was to be for these past five years, and however many more. It’s all good. He’s all good.

It is in those times of complete desperation for the Lord to move that I have learned to let go of plan B, C, and Q. There is no other plan. He’s got the plan I need to survive and thrive in the desert. He is the plan. Without Him I am nothing. Without Him I am just an empty vessel making no eternal impact on my environment.

Isaiah 63 “I have longed for you in the desert….”

I’m back… March 16, 2010

I have not dropped the ball with this whole blogging venture.   My internet has been down for a few days and I have written them, but just need to transfer from my mini laptop to this blog. 

So…stay tuned friends!

Hope you are all doing wonderfully!  This is an exciting season as God is doing new things.  What new things are going on in your life?  Please share!  Drop me a comment or an email: heathercarn@gmail.

Love you.

PR30 – Day 16 March 11, 2010

PR30 – Day 16 (March 10)

The F.O.G.
The “Favor of God”, you know what I’m talking about.  It comes up in those random times at work when you just have these rediculously awesome things happen and someone might ask you, “How in the WORLD did that happen?”  You simply say, “It’s the FOG!”  Yea, I like that!  Really, I am not trying to be silly.  This is for real.  Esther was raised up for “such a time as this” and she responded to authority and honored authority, she had some major FOG going on in her life. 

It can show up in many different ways.  It doesn’t always have to be tangible and physical although it might just manifest in that fashion. 

Here are a few definitions from Websters Dictionary:

1.  something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act: to ask a favor.

2. friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill: to win the favor of the king.

3. the state of being approved or held in regard: to be in favor at court; styles that are now in favor.

4. excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment: to treat some people with favor and others with neglect.

5. a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, kind regard, love, etc., as formerly upon a knight by his lady.

Next time something just seems too good, just praise God.  It’s His favor shining down on you.

Also, remember to handle the FOG with some serious humility.  It’s nothing to flaunt or take pride in.  Just praise Him and be thankful for the FOG.

PR30 – Day 15 March 10, 2010

Pr30 – Day 15 (March 9)

POWER in WORDS
Have you ever stopped to consider the power of your spoken word?  With words God created the Universe.  With our very words we create.  We can create a space for freedom and joy or darkness and gloom.  How are my words affecting my enviornment?  How are they affecting my mood?  My heart?  My circumstances? 

I encourage my students with the following phrase often, “Speak LIFE”.  They know this means they ought to consider their words before they exit their mouth.  Words of life bring encouragement, hope, freedom, joy, and peace.  The opposite of this of course is speaking death which brings discouragement, frustration, disorder, chaos, violence, jealousy, and anger.  Our very words will refelct our heart, shift the climate of a space, and affect the hearers.  We must be cautious with these words as they affect more than we realize.   I encourage us to be aware of our words and how they are making an impact. 
How do you want to impact your enviornment?  As for me,  I want to make an eternal impact that will create HOPE and LIFE!

“A gentle toungue is a tree of life.” ~Proverbs 15:4