i seriously think you’re going to love this video – especially if you like David Crowder, John Piper, and Matt Chandler.

give it a listen and leave your thoughts below afterwards.

so you think your spiritual failures break His heart…?

so you think you can’t share your testimony without being a hypocrite…?

so you think the guilt you feel is from God…?

i want to share something with you that i learned earlier this week, and it may just change the way you think. it changed the way i think anyways. as i stood in the doorway of a co-worker i often have spiritual conversations with, he told me about a book he just finished reading – “52 Lies Heard In Church Every Sunday“ by Steve McVey.

rather than try to explain it in my own words, i’m going to write out the conversation we had (actually, i let him do most of the talking).

me: i guess i just feel like i always let God down. like He expects more of me, but i’m just a disappointment…

him: is that what you think? you think your shortcomings, your failures, your sin is a disappointment to God…?

me: well… isn’t it though…?

him: heather, you could never disappoint God, regardless of what you do or say. because in order to disappoint God means you caught Him off guard and did something He didn’t think you would do. heather, He knows exactly what you’re going to do before it’s ever a thought in your mind! see, before you were ever born He knew ever choice you would ever make; He knew every road you would walk down; He knew it all! you absolutely cannot disappoint God!

me: but doesn’t He expect things of us…? doesn’t He expect us to try to be the best we can be…?

him: sure, He desires us to grow in grace and mirror the life of Christ, but when we fall short He doesn’t look at you and say: “you idiot! i expected more from you! I’m so disappointed in you right now!” no… He knew what the outcome of that situation would be from the beginning, so when you fall short He’s not caught off guard or surprised in any way.

me: what you’re saying makes sense… i’ve just had a whole different way of thinking about it in the past than this…

him: let me give you an example. let’s say you’re my wife and i asked you to go back to college and pursue a degree and you agreed to do it. if, halfway through the degree, you decided to quit and approached me one afternoon to tell me you dropped out of school, would i be disappointed in you? sure i would be. BUT, let’s look at it from another perspective. if i asked you to go back to college and pursue a degree and you agreed to do it, but told me there was a possibility you would never finish and graduate. if, halfway through the degree, you did indeed drop out of college, would i be disappointed in you? no i wouldn’t, because i knew ahead of time that you weren’t sure you were going to follow through with it to the end. see, God already knows the end from the beginning, so when you say you’re gonna do something (or not do something) and don’t follow through, He already knew that’s how it was going to end so He’s not surprised; and, therefore, He’s not disappointed.

me: hm. that’s simple, but yet deep at the same time…

him: just know that you could never disappoint God in any way. He knows everything about you and every choice you will ever make. He knows every thought that will run through your mind, every word that will exit your mouth, and every sin you will ever commit. and still He loves you and thinks you’re awesome. and that guilt you feel when you fall short? it’s not from the Holy Spirit… it’s from a spirit… but not the Holy one. you’re not a disappointment – never have been or ever will be in the eyes of God. your His.

i’ve been learning oceans of stuff lately, and i’m thankful for Christian co-workers who are willing to take time out of their busy schedule to help me in my (ever-struggling) Christian walk.

i’m just curious what your thoughts are on the above conversation…

do you think our sin disappoints God, or do you agree with my co-worker…?
has anyone read the book “52 Lies Heard In Church Every Sunday”…? if yes, did you recommend it?

i think i had Him figured all wrong though, to a point. see, i always pictured Jesus as merciful and gracious, but having a secret agenda. i always thought of Him as loving and kind, but expecting something in return. i always believed him to be wonderful and perfect, but demanding and legalistic. and, in my mind, he was allowed to be all of those things if He so chose to be, because He is, after all, God.

but i was wrong about Him. not that that will come as a surprise to you.

remember that note i wrote a few months back titled “i don’t want my Jesus.” …? in that note i said the following:

“i don’t want my Jesus to be someone who spends all His time with the publicans and pharisees. i want my Jesus to be someone who’s willing to get down in the dirt to show a sinner how much He loves them. i want Him to be the one who steadies the prostitute as she rises to her feet just after washing His feet with her tears and hair. i want Him to be the man dying on the cross while still having enough compassion to forgive someone who’s done Him wrong.”

i didn’t know then that the Jesus i wanted was actually who Jesus really is. or maybe i did know it, but i wouldn’t allow myself to see it.

in my devotions i’ve been reading about all the miracles He performed. actually, the Bible only mentions a few of them specifically. but then i’ll read a blanket statement like “they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick” (Matt. 8:16), and i have to wonder: how many is “many”…? how many is “all”…? because if i heard that someone was in town that could heal people of whatever ailed them, i’d be breaking people out of nursing homes and kidnapping hospital patients, and making house calls to invalids to let them know there was hope for them.

i can’t imagine that “many” and “all” are other words for… say… like 15 or 20 people. i picture hundreds — if not thousands — of people lining up along the side of the road hoping Jesus will heal them and make them whole again.

and then there was the aspect of how Jesus dealt with the haughty and high-minded in the community. he was kind! the only time he ever used harsh words were when He dealt with the “religious rulers” and pharisees. you know, those people who were supposed to be good examples of what Christians should be, but instead they were failing. epicly. (i don’t think “epicly” is a real word…)

i’ve watched preachers and “mature christians” use harsh and crude language when talking to lost people, then justify it with “well, Jesus talked this way sinners, so we can to.”

news flash: Jesus did lots of things. that doesn’t mean you can do them too.

Jesus healed the sick. Jesus was fully God while fully man. Jesus forgave sins. Jesus brought people back to life. Jesus brought unbreakable hope to the hopeless. Jesus became the Lamb that was slain. Jesus was perfect.

so while Jesus did speak harshly at times to the pharisees, He never spoke harshly to those who were lost. how do you win someone over by treating them like dirt and speaking to them like they’re beneath you.

remember — speak the truth with love.

love is key. grace is pertinent. mercy is necessary. but love… love is what conquered sin in the first place. who are we to think it won’t still work today?

…thoughts?

This week’s QOTD post is going to be a bit different. There are no right or wrong answers. I just want to hear from you and learn a little about what your past year contained, and what you hope your future year holds.

It doesn’t have to be a huge 25-point list or 4 paragraphs of information – it could be just one or two or five things. Whatever – as little or as much as – you want to share is completely fine.

What did you accomplish this year?
What did you learn from?
What were some of the struggles the Lord brought you through?
Is there anything you wish you would’ve done differently?

Do you have any resolutions/goals you for 2012?

hopefully ya’ll raised your hands. if not, you’re in deep doo-doo.

who here likes Santa? *again, awkward glances*

if you’re reading this, chances are you’re of an age where you no longer (if you ever) believe in santa. it’s okay to say you don’t like him. i don’t really care for the guy either. if you do like him – more power to you. really, i don’t care.  :]

anywho. i’ve had this in my drafts since last Christmas. yes, you read that right. it’s patiently waiting in my blog’s drafts folder for a year just waiting to make an appearance on the ever-(not at all)-famous “Grow Up!” blog.

well, today is said posts lucky day. so Merry Christmas and if i don’t talk to you beforehand – happy new year!!  :]

enjoy! (i know you will)

i’ve just been… away.

busy. tired. numb. around.

but i wanted to say just a few things real quick.

i miss you all. and i miss our “conversations.” but it’s been a good break… away from all things social website-wise. (except ebay.)

i heard that one of my friends got engaged recently! Congratulations, Andrew! and I heard that another one of my friends and her husband got into a really bad car accident not too long ago. i’m so sorry that happened… and i’m glad to hear you’re both doing better now! i love you.

and because i really don’t have anything else to say because my mind is completely and utterly preoccupied with finals this week, i thought i’d share a song i wrote a couple years ago.

i am by no means a great singer. so just remember that when i squeak and squeal in the video. the song is titled “I Came To Get God,” and it was based on an actual event that took place one Sunday afternoon at my church a few years ago. i hope you enjoy it.

words and music, copyright: Heather Joy
vocal artist: Heather Joy

i hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season! eat some extra Christmas cookies for me (i’m on a diet)!  :]

this blog has been up and running since August 2010 and some of my readers have been with me from the get-go. some of my readers are fairly new. some of my readers are people who fly in for an occasional visit, but nothing steady.

i want you to know that i appreciate all of you.

this blog tends to be very male-dominated in regards to the readers/commentors. there are also a few ladies who are pretty regular contributors to the conversation as well. but for the most part, there are men.

most, if not all, of you are far wiser than i am. you have far more insight and knowledge about the things of God than i do. and honestly, i get intimidated real quick by some of your comments – and that’s scary, but it’s also a good thing. i learn from you all more than you know.

a lot of times i don’t communicate much with those of you who comment on my blog. many times i don’t always get around to responding to your “just saying hello” emails. and lately i haven’t visited any blogs and read what you have been writing.

if i had another 24 hours in every day i’d be all over that. unfortunately, work and school basically suck up all of my time.

anywho. i said all that to say that i truly appreciate each and every one of you. if you have ever contributed as a guest poster on here, i appreciate you as well.

i know i may not say thank you as much and as often as i should – and i’m sorry for that. and for the times that i have failed you as a blogger, as a friend, as a sister, as an example, as whatever you needed me to be at any given time – i’m sorry.

so from my heart to yours, i want you to know that you are all a blessing to me. and i’m thankful for you.

may God continue to bless you.

i hope you all have a wonderful day today with your friends and family. eat lots of turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie and potatoe salad and veggies and ham and… oh, everything!

but above all that, i hope you remember the true reason for Thanksgiving. take a moment to thank the Lord for the many blessings He has provided to you and your family.

i have so much to be thankful for this year – including my family, friends, a clean bill of health, good grades this semester so far, a steady job, my church, a house to live in, and so much more. i’m also thankful for each of you!

so have a wonderful turkey day! and tomorrow eat left overs until you clean out the refridgerator!  :]

Happy Thanksgiving, and may God continue to richly bless you and yours!

i know people take the Bible out of context all the time to fit their agenda or what-have-you, but there are some times that it still baffles me when they do this.

watch this video to see what i’m talking about, then leave me your thoughts afterwards. if you agree with it, i want to know why. if you disagree with it, i’d like to know why. if you agree only partially, i’d like to know which parts you agreed with and what you disagreed with.

here goes…

so… thoughts?
did they take the Bible out of context, or were they spot on?
are some of the laws they mentioned restricted to Old Testament times?

did anyone else catch the fact that they spelled “testament” in a part of the video?  :]

i had a thought on my mind today, but i really don’t have any words to put said thought into; therefore, i’m letting Jeremiah 18 do the talking for me…

[1] The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
[2] Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
[3] Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
[4] And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
[5] Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
[6] O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
[7] At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
[8] If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
[9] And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
[10] If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
[11] Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
[12] And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
[13] Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
[14] Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
[15] Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
[16] To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
[17] I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
[18] Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
[19] Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
[20] Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
[21] Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
[22] Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
[23] Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

the passage starts out kind of “romantically,” if you get my meaning. and usually, if you’re anything like me, you stop reading after the happy part. but if you read the whole thing you realized the chapter ended with a bang. and by “bang” i mean: “wow. if this is what it’s like, i never want to be dealt with by God in the time of His anger.”

i guess the moral of the story – simplified and straight forward – would be to get right before God has to go do drastic measures to deal with you.

the other moral of the story would be that it turns out i have feet of clay…

*italics and bolding in Scripture passage we’re my doing for emphasis purposes.