My Beloved....

My Beloved...
Oh, how beautiful you are to Me! I love you as a husband loves his bride. In My eyes, there is no flaw in you. You are without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. You are holy and blameless in My sight. You have stolen My heart as a bride steals her husband's heart.
I am the One Who gave you life and made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. I spread the corner of My garment over you and covered you. I gave you My solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine. I saved you and called you to a holy life - not because of anything you have done but because of My own purpose and grace.
I have committed Myself to you forever, in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I have raised My banner of love over you. I take great delight in you; I quiet you with My love and rejoice over you with singing.
I have prepared a special place for you in My house. It is far greater than anything you could imagine. And that is where we will live, forever and ever. I love you.

Ps 23:6; SS4:1,7,9; Eze 16:6-8; Hos 2:19; Zep 3:17; Jn 14:2-3; Eph 5:25-27; 2Ti 1:9

Another paraphrased letter from my NIV Worship Bible. Love being reminded of God's amazing love for us... for me... AWESOME!!!

Let The Rain...

Love this entire album... but this is my current favourite.
Enjoy!



"I wish I were pretty . I wish I were brave . if I owned this city . then I'd make it behave . and if I were fearless . then I'd speak my truth . and the world would hear this . that's what I wish I'd do, yeah . if my hands could hold them you'd see . I'd take all these secrets in me . and I'd move and mold them to be . something I'd set free . I want to darken in the skies . open the floodgates up . I want to change my mind . I want to be enough . I want the water in my eyes . I want to cry until the end of time . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down tonight . I hold on to worry so tight . it's safe in here right next to my heart . who now shouts at the top of her voice . let me go, let me out, this is not my choice . and I always felt it before . that the world was filled with much more . than the drowning soul I've learned to be . I just need the rain to remind me . I want to darken in the skies . open the floodgates up . I want to change my mind . I want to be enough . I want the water in my eyes . I want to cry until the end of time . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . I want to let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down . let the rain come down . make a brand new ground . let the rain come down tonight"
Let the Rain - by Sara Bareilles

I Belong...

I think it was pretty evident in school that I knew Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs and pulled it out whenever I could. It really was one of my favorties, I'm not sure if that makes me a geek. But me and Maslow, we were good pals in University.

Maslow had a good point you know... we all have basic human needs. I think the one that stuck out to me personally was the need to belong. It's the third from the bottom... first comes Physiological, then comes Safety, and then comes the Social aspect of our needs. We naturally feel the need to belong... to a family, to a group of friends, to someone. I think it really stems around the idea that we all need to feel loved by someone.

I've grown up in the church most of my life and was brought up to believe that we are all part of the family of God, that we belong to Him, our Creator. How amazing is it that we are loved and we belong to God!

I've recently come across a song by Kathryn Scott called "I Belong". It's a great song and the words are so simple, yet powerful. She reflects on a portion of scripture taken from Romans 8:38, 39...

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Such an awesome thing to ponder. God loves us, and nothing, absolutely nothing can seperate us from that. God loves us beyond our shortcomings, our faults, our failures. We belong to Him and He loves us. It doesn't matter what happens or who tries to stand in our way... regardless of our past, present or future... HE LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY and NOTHING and NOBODY can seperate us from HIM!

Sometimes we drift away from God, we forget that we belong to Him and we carry on as though we've been seperated from Him... But He's still there, loving us irregardless and waiting for us to return to Him.

Come near to God and He will come near to you... Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up

When I was making my way through James some time ago, these words stuck out to me from James 4:8&10.
God's love is unconditiona... He loves us irregardless... He wants us to seek Him, draw close to Him, to hunger and thirst for His righteousness, and to follow His will for our lives.

This song is a great reminder of God's love for us and reminds us of the peace and comfort that comes from knowing that we belong.

Check off that third block Maslow, God's got love and belonging covered!