morning with jesus.

{iron woods beach, maui, 2010}

this morning i was awakened by a prince kissing my cheek as he headed off to work....

i got up, thinking of all the possibilities of this sunday as i am not working.

i remembered it is in fact sunday, i have missed church so deeply. 

so i had my own little session after i brushed my teeth and put deodorant on, i gathered "Get out of that Pit" by Beth Moore, "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp, "NIV Study Bible" and "The Message". 

two things stood out to me this morning that i would love to share :)

 "One Thousand Gifts", whew! It starts out strong! everyone has their stories that brings them to question God, that makes them in a kind of depression or gets them stuck in a pit. Then down in the depths of despair when we realize that we need to find the joy and happiness in life amidst the trials is when we go searching for Ann's book that "dares you to live fully right where you are", teaching us how to "biblically lament loss, turning pain into poetry; intentionally embrace a lifestyle of radical gratitude; and slow down and catch God in the moment." 

I only read the first chapter but here are my favorite parts..."His love letter forever silences any doubts: "His secret purpose framed from the very beginning is to bring us to our full glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7 NEB). He means to rename us- to return us to our true names, our truest selves. He means to heal our soul holes. From the very beginning, that Eden beginning, that has always been and always is, to this day, His secret purpose - our return to our full glory." "He means to fill us with glory again. With glory and grace........................................and ............""Maybe...I guess....it's accepting there are things we simply don't understand. But He does." And I see. At least a bit more. When we find ourselves groping along, famished for more, we can choose. When we are despairing."

to finish off the lovely start to the day i had a wonderful conversation with my savior and found this beautiful piece of scripture (that I do like better in the NIV than the message.)

Psalm 103:1-5

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles."

AHH....wonderful. I hope you all have such a beautiful Sunday.