Make Your Own!
Create your own conversational heart to send to a friend HERE

Abba, Father
Romans 8:15
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."

From The Chase by Jerry Bridges with Jay and Jen Howver
Read this today in class...
The Bible says of God, 'it's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.' (Hebrews 12:6) God loves us, and he doesn't do anything to us that isn't for our own good. He disciplines us because he loves us...

Abba, Father
by Shaun Groves
Abba Father
My Defender
You are holy
And I surrender
For in my weakness
You protect me
and when my heart strays
You correct me

I Cry Abba Father
I love You Daddy
Abba Father I love You
I love You
Abba Father
I love You Daddy
Abba Father I love You
I love You Daddy

Chapter 7 - Trusting Jesus
From Ruthless Trust by Brenann Manning

Hope is reliance on the promise of Jesus, accompanied by the expectation of fulfillment.

Trust is the winsome wedding of faith and hope.

Faith+hope=Trust

'I do believe! Help my unbelief.' (Mark 9:22-24). What's missing here? HOPE. The boy's father believes in jesus but lacks conviction that his expectation for healing will be fulfilled.

Thanks for Prayers!
For those of you that have been praying for my dad, this past week he finished 5 consecutive days of his second treatment. Unlike last time (when the chemo made him extremely sick) he did not get sick! That is TOTALLY the Lord! Thanks for prayers. He will have a appointment sometime in the next few weeks to determine the effectiveness of the treatments. That will determine future treatments.

OH MY! (from the TL emails today)
(From Josh) TRUE LIFE THIS THURSDAY IS AT MY HOUSE! I'll be cooking supper
for everybodyi was planning to serve Chinese cuisine, but there seems to be a shortage of stray cats in my neighborhood this week maybe somebody else beat me to it... i don't know.

(From Stuart G) I'd be more than glad to offer as many cats as you want, as there seems to be an abundance of them over here! Of course on the negative side, that will also affect the number of kittens for my Bonsai Kitty business!

YOU GUYS ARE MESSED UP!

I Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Heidi Concert Pics
Hey Here are some pics from the Heidi Nance Concert last Friday at The Basement Coffeehouse. Josh also played a couple songs, as did Micah. :)

I GOT It!
I GOT my plane ticket to DENVER! :) I'm so excited. I'll be heading out that way end of March! can hardly wait to see my best friend get married!

UPDATE ON ETHAN (Noah and Katie's Baby)
His nurse today is the nurse that was the transport nurse who was in charge of the team that moved Ethan from Danville to Lynchburg. She told them that she is amazed at how well he is doing. She and the rest of her team was present in the room when we laid our hands on this little guy and prayed for him. Please continue to pray for Ethan but make sure you add prayer and expectation to yours prayer for God to be glorified and His Kingdom influence realized! - From Randy's Email

To Lighten the Mood
Funny snowboard story... Yesterday I was boarding and had learned to do some tight carves (as opposed to my wide, mostly left carves from before). Anyway, I was eager to show off my new tricks! My friend, Josh (who had been boarding over on the diamonds) and I met up, and that was MY CHANCE! So I pridefully said, 'Watch This!' I did a little stretch of carves and was thoroughly proud of myself! So proud that I turned around and said, 'Not too bad, hu...." Before "HUH?" could get out of my mouth, caught my edge on some deep snow and my board did not ONE, not TWO, but many many tumbles (as I was still attatched to it!) Ok, it had to be the most hillarious, classic thing to watch! I sat there and laughed and laughed and laughed... as Josh came over laughing and said, Thanks, Mel, you made my night!

LOL! I was so excited to make some boarding progress! Learning new things is always a blast! Soooo.... Anyone want to race???

Other funny things of the night! I also got my first intentional 'air' of the season. I sailed a good 3 centimeters into the air after jumping a bump! LOL! And the best thing.... I landed it! Watch out! I'm on my way!

Also a first... I went down my first black diamond ever! ummm... on my butt, though so I'm not so sure that counts.

Making Sense
I hope all of the following things I say make sense. I am so full of things that God has been speaking to me, and when I get that way, sometimes my thoughts all run together... anyway, this is a my meager attempt to convey some of those thoughts....

Lavish Me
Have you ever heard a song that became the sound track of your day? I often will be listening to a CD and a song will come on that the Lord uses to SPEAK to me. I usually put my player on REPEAT and let the message soak in. This was true of Friday.

Friday was a dreary day. Not just outside but inside me, too. I'm not sure why, but it was just one of those 'down' days. God felt big and distant, and I felt alone. My free time at school, I spent reading from a book I've been going through called Ruthless Trust. God had a message in there for me for that SPECIFIC day! The chapter title was called Infinate and Intimate, and though I was feeling the weight of God's infinity, I was having a hard time with the 'intimate' part... that God was my 'daddy'... that I was his child. I knew he loved me, but it felt like a far-away love. Then I read the following:

Transcendence must be conjoined with immanence... God's distance must be complimented by his nearness.

An exclusive emphasis on the divine 'kabod' [glory] and the transcendent mystery of God banishes God from our world and our lives. He remains far away, aloof in his infinate majesty. He dwells in unapproachable light... Disregard of God's immanence deprives us of any sense of intimate belonging, while inattention to his transcendence robs God of his godliness. (pgs 81-82) (emphasis mine)

As I was reading, God was speaking words of love and care, like a daddy. The dreariness didn't change, b/c I don't know that I was convinced (I knew it was true, but I just wasn't feeling it. Was God really trying to speak to me?) I got in my car and the SCC Cd Speachless was in, and on the way home, Track 13 "Be Still and Know" started to play. Immediately as I was listening to the lyrics, It sunk in. Tears came to my eyes. I pushed repeat on my player and listened to the song over and over again. The message resounded in my heart. God loves me.... God loves ME! He is in control.

Be Still and Know
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still, O restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of peace
Let the noise and clamor cease
Be still

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that he has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still

Be still and know that he is God
Be still and know he is our Father
Come rest your head upon his breast
Listen to the rhythm of his unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still

When I got home I went up stairs to check my email. Sat down at the computer and for some reason, looked down at the mouse. It was resting on a mouse pad that we have had for years. I had never really payed it much attention, but today i noticed it said, "Be still and know that I am God." Ok, by then I'm pretty much GETTING the message. LOL! Wow! Isn't God GOOD!

Later, on the way to The Basement to set up for Heidi's concert I was listening to the song Speachless, and the following lyrics stuck out,

Oh how great is the love
The Father has lavished upon us,
That we should be called the sons and daughters of God

That is from I John (which we have been studying in TL). Later Heidi sang a song called, "Lavish Me" based on this verse. By the end of the night, I felt very 'lavished' in the Love of God. I am Blessed!

So leads to the lyrics that I posted of Heidi's on Saturday...

Just trying to get this Ruthless Trust Under my belt
But, Lord, I need your help.
Please quiet all the noise!
-Heidi Nance

Unfortunately, I'm sure that there will be other times of discouragement and doubt. God is very gracious to give me these reminders and lavish me with his love. Will I ever get the "Ruthless Trust under my belt?" Thank you, Jesus, that we have heaven to look forward to where faith and hope are passed away and all that remains will be LOVE!

'til there's no more faith
and no more hope
and I see your face and, Lord, I'm home
and only Love remains.
-Andrew Peterson

I woke up Saturday morning to a beautiful warm sunshiney day! God is faithful in rain and in sun!