Lets be honest.
Life isn't easy. In fact most of the time it's quite darn difficult!!!
Sin nature really sucks. Messin up over and over..and when I think about it,it's always so incredibly stupid. I find myself time and time again asking myself,"WHAT THE HECK WAS I THINKING!?". yupp.
Or sometimes I ask myself WHY does God allow me to make the same mistakes,over and over. AND OVER AND OVER!?!? Isn't He supposed to be a gracious,loving God!?! Where is He to guide me when I'm being stupid!? Why does He allow me to learn the hard way!? WHY!?!?!?! ...then *BAM*..hello,who are WE to ask HIM what He's doing!?!? He knows what He's doin. He's got the world in His hands,not Jo who is totally oblivious and clueless. obviously. Truth is,He ALLOWS us to go through things..He tests us to see just how far we go. If we never had hard times,none of us would have to excercise faith! It also makes us stronger,for even bigger battles.
Wow,if only we could see the big picture. God has a plan. He knows what He's doin in our lives and WE are the ones that go and screw things up. But He's ALSO a forgiving God who is always enthused to see us running back to Him:)
My whole point is just a reminder to myself..and I have a horrible way to trying to get my point across. I hope that all made sense. Ramblings,I know.
Just remember,stick to God and you CAN'T go wrong!!! :)

stacie orrico - strong enough. ( with lyrics.) x

"In my most desperate circumstance,is there I finally found..that You are strong enough,that you are pure enough, to break me,pour me out,and start again,that you are brave enough to take one chance on me...."

Grace and Guidance.

"From His fullness we all have received,grace upon grace." John1:16

A good friend shared this verse with me...and wow...it really has made a big impact on me. Guys,we've gotten GRACE UPON GRACE!!!! So many times I want to complain...whatever I'm going through "it's too much" ...and I blame Him. I blame Him for not loving me enough to help me through this. He DOES help you through. But He's not just gonna make it easy. He'll give you strength. He'll give you grace. Whatever you're going through is something He has aloud...

No matter how painful or how confusing it might be,it IS for your benefit. Even if we may never understand. Sometimes we will,sometimes we won't. That's where trust comes in. He loves you,and is with you every single step of the way. Don't push Him away,ask for His guidance!! And when He seems silent in Your life,take a step back. Maybe He's silent to teach you to trust that He's THERE. Just trust and obey. Or maybe He's using other people as tools through Him...to show you love and support. We will never FULLY understand God's plan and His wisdom...But just remember,He's got you in His hand. NOTHING,NOTHING!!!! can snatch you out of His care. He's right there. Waiting. Loving.

"...For I am convinced neither death or life,neither angels or demons,neither the present or the future,nor any powers. Neither height nor depth,nor anything else in His creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus,our Lord." Romans 8:37-39

Holy crap is that powerful!!!!! "Neither PRESENT or FUTURE....nor ANYTHING else in HIS creation can separate us!!!" I have yet to fully grasp this concept. Fully KNOW His love,grace,peace.

Take it step by step...learn. Be teachable to His leading. Let Him guide. Let Him BE. He IS the great I AM.

It's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be painful sometimes. But in the end ONLY Him and HIM ALONE will bring you true peace and joy!!!! Nothing else in this world can come close. Lets stop filling our lives with all that crap that will last for a moment... Lets focus on what He wants in our lives..on what will really matter for eternity. Gosh it's overwhelming. Praise God for His patience. He is AMAZING.

Unending love,amazing grace.

ehh. What's up in my world.

So.......I'm deffinately not a blogger.
My goal was to post something at least once a month. Something I've learned,or something to encourage others. Well. So much for that.

Right now my life consists of school,babysitting,going to Solon basketball games,and doing random things with friends. It might not sound like much,but it's sure keeping me busy.
I honestly CANNOT wait for summer. I'm really really excited for what's ahead. And yet,quite terrified. Last summer was pretty much AMAZING....the best summer in my life. Yes,alot of awful stuff happened,and it wasn't all "fun and games"....but through that I learned alot.

I've learned alot this past school year too. It's been the most heartbreaking,life changing,two years in my life. I've met some amazing people who have truly changed my life forever. Honestly,I look back and wonder how the heck I made it this far without them. really. It's so awesome. God has truly blessed me with some amazing people in my life. Even people I've known for quite a while I've gotten so much closer to,and have really been encouraged and learned alot with them. There have been other people on one hand,who haven't been such a great "encouragement" in my life....but through them I've learned alot too. As much as is was "not a fun time" in my life or whatever,without that happening...ehh,who knows where I could be. To be perfectly honest,I know I'm still doing things,and am very good friends with people maybe shouldn't do things with,I am more careful now. Well.....yeah,at least right now.

I've also learned so much can change in such a short time. You can be having the best days of your life.....and *BAM*. You're crushed. Going through the hardest time in your life. So far. heh.
It's scary sometimes. I could totally write and write forever all the stuff that's happened,but that's all I'm gonna say right now.

just stay strong,stay open to God's leading and love.....and you'll be ok. Remember: He'll never test you beyond what you are able. :D

-random post by Jo

"We laugh and laugh,and nothing can ever be sad,
no one can be lost,or dead,or far away:right now we are here,
and nothing can mar our perfection,
or steal the joy of this perfect moment."
-Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife)

My absence from blog world

Ok,so it's been pretty much forever since I've last blogged.But things have been INSANELY crazy for me ALL summer.No,seriously.I just haven't had the time to sit down and blog. Either that,or when I have some spare time,I just don't feel like it.=/Anyways,I don't have the time right now...but I thought I would let you all know I AM still alive and kick'n (LOL) and I do still come on here once in a while...(Usually just to read what everyone else has written.Am I pathetic? yeah,think so.)

Our beauty hidden by fear. [Continued]

Responding to the invitations of Jesus often feels like the riskiest thing we've ever done.Webster defines "risk" as exposing one's life to the possibility of injury,damage,or loss. Living our lives under God's authority is a profound risk. The risk of loving others.The risk of stepping out and offering,speaking up and following our God-given dreams.The risk of playing the irreplaceable role that is ours to play. Of course it is hard. If it were easy,you'd see lots of people living this way.The reason we fear to step out is because we know that it might not go well (is that an understatement?).We have a history of wounds screaming at us to play is safe.We feel so deeply that if it doesn't go well,if we are not received well,their reaction becomes the verdict on our lives,on our very beings,on our hearts.We fear that our deepest doubts about ourselves will be confirmed.Again.That is why we can only risk stepping out when we are resting in the love of God.When we have received HIS verdict on our lives-that we are chosen and dearly loved.That He finds captivating.Then we are free to offer.

You could say that people did not respond very well to Jesus' love,to his stepping out in faith and playing the role that was his alone to play.And that would be a ridiculous understatement!The very people that Jesus died for hurled insults at him,mocked him,spat at him,crucified him.Jesus had to trust his Father profoundly, with his very being.Peter uses him as our example saying, "Follow in his steps...He did not retaliate when he was insulted.When he suffered,he did not threaten to get even.He left his case in the hands of God" (1 Peter 2:21-23 NLT). Or,as another translation has it, "he entrusted himself" to God.He was okay.He entrusted himself to God.

But we can't wait to offer our lives until we have our acts together.We don't get that luxury.If we did,would anyone ever feel like offering anything?God asks us to be vulnerable.He invites us to share and give in our weakness.He wants us to offer the beauty that he has given us even when we are keenly aware that it is not all that we wish it was.He wants us to trust him.

How it turns out is no longer the point.Living in this way,is a choice we make because it is the person we want to be.It is our loving response to our Lord's invitation.

Captivating. -John and Stasi Eldredge

Lets do it.