Just The Way You Are

I fell in love with this song, not just cos it's a sweet song..but I had a revelation of who the author(in my head) and singer was:


Just The Way You Are

Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying
She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day

Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look ok, I say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing, just the way you are
And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while
Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are(yeah)

Oh, you know, you know, you know, I'd never ask you to change
If perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same
So, don't even bother asking if you look ok
You know I'll say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing, just the way you are
And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while
Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are
The way you are, the way you are
Girl you're amazing, just the way you are

Someone once told me that a 'Revelation' is aligning our thoughts with what God is thinking, and I know I definitely got that when I heard this song. Though it was sung and probably written by Bruno Mars, to me, it was sung by God Himself =)

I know it may seem silly and a little wrong (seeing as how this is supposed to be a romantic song), but imagine this song being sung from one best friend to another?? Or from a father to her daughter?? It just touched me, and it always does =)

I may, or may not have have my future husband sing this song to me; regardless, anything pales in comparison to Him singing to me =)

He really, really loves me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AwPds6U-fU

Pillow Talk-Judah Smith

During the recent Hillsong Conference (2010), Judah was invited to speak for one of the sessions. It was a shame that I wasn't able to make it, but I did get a hold of the DVD and watched it here at home. I dont know what it was, whether I was just caught in the moment or whether Judah's speaking just has an effect on me, but I was balling my eyes out. His message spoke to me so intensly, I just...felt moved to write it. And that's (evidently) exactly what I'm doing.

His message basically highlights what happened when Jesus and his disciples were caught in the storm on the way to the other side, and the significance of the scripture. Judah mentions a couple of points:

1.) Even with Jesus, we still have our storms

2.) Sometimes during the storm, we need to get wet

3.) The storm wants our 'awe'-dont give it our 'awe'

4.) We're all at different stages with our walk with God

5.) Jesus slept soundly during the storm

Each point needs elaboration, but if I were to do tht I might write a textbook more than just a blog entry. But what did catch my attention most was the part where Judah mentions how in all 3 books of the New Testament, this particular verse is describe with a slight twist...

Matthew 8:24-27
Jesus Calms the Storm
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

Mark 4: 35-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Luke 8: 22-25
Jesus Calms the Storm
One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

Why this caught me was that, we're all at different stages with God. And sometimes it's when we're caught in a storm that our faith, our walk, our relationship is truly put to the test. The 3 disciples mentioned above, Matthew, Peter & Luke were at different levels of their faith. Matthew at the time may have had faith, but it was probably small and little, thus in the storm that little was begin put to the test, whereas Peter possibly had none, thus causing him to take what Jesus had said question that missing faith. And Luke probably lost his faith in the midst of the storm, ths causing to hear Jesus' reponse as a question to his lost faith.

I was blown away by this string, this painting of a more detailed picture; making it more real to us. We're all facing our storms and struggles, and no one's storm is bigger than another. But the true test is our faith-who do we turn to, what would we do, how much do we really trust God?? I dont believe it's bad in any way, to stumble and fall when a wave hits you, doubt even God would expect us to be on our feet when our boat is shaking heavily. But it's what we do once we've been hit that counts.

A good friend of mine once said, "If He brings us to it, He'll bring us through it"...Dont doubt, just trust. Even Jesus fell asleep in the midst of a storm. He's always in control, always...

This Is Our God-In Every Season

“I knew it was gonna be incredible, if God was allowed to be simply God” Joel Houston

“I don’t always feel like it. Sometimes I don’t feel like singing to God, but I know that my circumstance and this season doesn’t change that God is still God. It doesn’t change what God has called me to be-what He’s called me to do. He’s still bigger than everything that I’m facing. I was singing, and I believed everything that I was singing. And I still don’t know why, a part of me was still so broken, but I knew that I needed to just keep singing, and that it was all gonna be okay. Even when you’re singing things that you may not necessarily understand, I think when you say things that are true of God , declare the promises of God, which is-though the triumph isn’t here, it’s gonna come eventually. It takes over the things in you that are shattered and it puts the focus back on Him. If I could sing, I could sing my way to freedom. “ Jill Mccloghry

“I never knew that side of my God, until I couldn’t breathe another breath without Him” Darlene Zschech

“I feel so strongly that, when you’re in the desert or the fire, all you’ve got is the promise of God…”

With everything, with everything

We Will Shout Forth Your Glory

Cuadros

Absolutely

Lover of my soul
I want to tell you
Only you have all of me
I cannot contain my adoration
I'm in love so desperately

No one is as lovely as you are
There is no one else who has my heart

Jesus you have me completely
Every breath I breathe
I am absolutely in love
Jesus I am yours forever
All of me surrenders
I am absolutely in love with you

Down upon my knees
I'm lost in worship
Humbled by your majesty
What is there to say
But how I love you
Thank you for forgiving me

All I am is yours

Only yours

-Starfield-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZH06hW6psA

Love Is Waiting

In the autumn on the ground,
between the traffic and the ordinary sounds
I am thinking signs and seasons while a north wind blows through
I watch as lovers pass me by
Walking stories - whos and hows and whys
Musing lazily on love
Pondering you
I'll give it time, give it space and be still for a spell
When it's time to walk that way we wanna walk it well

I'll be waiting for you baby
I'll be holding back the darkest night
Love is waiting til we're ready, til it's right
Love is waiting

It's my caution not the cold
there's no other hand that i would rather hold
the climate changes, I'm singing for the strangers about you
don't keep time, slow the pace
Honey hold on if you can
the bets are getting surer now that you're my man

I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
and like I can't force the sun to rise or hasten summer's start,
neither should I rush my way into your heart

-Brooke Fraser-

For most people a song like this would be about that special someone in their life, even for Brooke, this song was about her then fiancee. I sigh when I read the lyrics; they look and sound so beautiful, so gentle and so promising. Makes you wish that it was your story to tell. I often dream about my man; what he'd be like, how our lives would evolve together--it's nice to think about that part of my future. But he's just a fiction of my imagination. Goodness knows if I'd ever find him (or if he even exists). I've watched wayy to many movies and series and read wayy to many books, to know how wonderful and painful a relationship can be. A part of me wants it so badly, and another part of me knows what I'd be giving up for it. My biggest fear is losing God as my no.1 priority. Relationships can get sticky and though, and some where along the line, people get too caught up in themselves, they forget about purpose and meaning. So, though I sigh when I listen to songs like this, I somehow end up smiling because I know this is my story to tell. The only man in my life now is God, and that in itself is great. And of all the relationships you can be in, God's the only guy that will never let you down or dissapoint you. He'll never bore you, nor will He betray you. He'll never scold you, nor will He ever leave you. He's the best; He's perfect. What more could you ask for? Love's been waiting for me all along =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyVqxyiX_wQ

It's a love story

I once met a guy named Marc

I pursued him with my love, and pursued him with my love, until I felt my love captured his heart

So I asked him to be my boyfriend

and he said no

I was unrelenting and ask him again, pursuing him with my love, and I pursued him with my love

He still rejected me

I continued trying-I did not send my mother, nor did I send a friend. For in issues of love, you must go yourself.

This is the story of God: He pursued you with His love and pursues you with His love, and you have perhaps not said yes. And even if you reject His love, He pursues you ever still. It was not enough to send an angel or a prophet or any other, for in issues of love, you must go yourself. And so God has come.

In my story, I try pursuing the guy with all that I have, yet he still is un-captured by me and he rejects me so cruelly, I never see him again.

This however is the story of Jesus-God had walked among us and He pursues us with His love.
Though we reject Him many a time, find excuses to delay Him and compromise Him in so many ways, His love for us never ceases.

And He is here, even now, still pursuing you with His love.

Dear God

Dear God,

I sit here, in this moment, completely in awe of You. I look at You and my heart questions, how is it possible, none of it makes sense. Yet You still love… Moment after moment I’m amazed at how You love, at Your faithfulness to us. I cannot begin to comprehend it. You just love; You make things so simple for us to understand; all we need to do is love. There’s no complication to it. It’s so simple, so precise, so pure.

Yet we complicate things. We add the unnecessary, and remove the necessary. We get caught up in the chaos, we lose perspective and focus-we lose intention. In the end, some of us end up lost, end up confused and end up losing it-losing the love.

Through it all, You still stay the same. Your love for us never changes, Your plan for us never changes. Your faith in us is steadfast. You chose to see the hope in us, and you cheer us on each step of the way. Who else could possibly love us like this? Who else could possible care for us like this? Who else could possibly stick around through thick and thin; not judging, not complaining, but loving all the way through.

There’s no one else but You. Though I get scared at times, You tell me it’s ok. You look at me with this expression of pride and love, giving me so much confidence to push through. I feel so assured when I turn to You. You’re the best thing in my life. I’m so secured in You. I picture your hand holding mine, and I know I’m going to be fine-The Lord my God is here and He’s going to pull me through. I’m good, I’m safe and I’m loved-I lack nothing.

Thank You.

Passion

God effortlessly created the world around us,
But He didn’t stop there,
In His own likeness He made mankind
He made us
He made me
He made you
God Almighty crafting something beautiful,
Someone beautiful
Someone unique
Someone like you
Rare
Miraculous
Unprecedented
You
Breathed
To life
By the God Of the universe

But being made by God
and for His glory
Was not enough for us
In time our hearts bent away from His
And we walked away
We walked our way
Thinking something or someone else was better
Like fools we abandoned the God of all creation


But rebellion was bittersweet
And soon death came
Everything was torn
And battered
And bruised
And broken
And all our wells ran dry
We were without hope
And without God
With no way
Back to Him

But God is rich in mercy
And His love for us
Would not fail
God had a plan
An unthinkable plan

He would send His
One and Only son
In human flesh
The innocent for the guilty
A divine exchange
Beyond comprehension
The son of God would be offered in our place
to be torn
and battered
and bruised
and broken

Until death came
He breathed his final breath and freedom rang
Chains were broken
Death was finished
And in the end
His love was greater
Than the grave
And Life for us was born

Hallelujah

God’s love is
Higher than the mountain of our mess
It runs deeper than
The stains that mar us
For He was pierced for
Our Transgressions
Crushed for our iniquities
The punishment that
Brought us peace
Was on Him
By His wounds
We Are Healed

It is Grace
It is God
He is Here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BR04rz6zKA&feature=related