The Plans We Make ... Fail to Compare

There is a song that really speaks to me. Not only does it have a great tune, but the words are pretty amazing ... From the first words ...

Woe to me I am unclean
A sinner found in Your presence
I see you seated on Your throne
Exalted, Your Glory surrounds You*

It reminds me of who I am ... nothing apart from Jesus! How freeing that is, though ... There is nothing we could ever do to deserve His mercy ... It is completely lavished on us, ours for the asking, despite that we are unworthy ... available to any who will put their faith in Him for redemption. It is all about Him.


And ... I really love these next two lines ...

Now the plans that I have made
Fail to compare when I see your glory.*


While I've had a pretty busy week, with maybe a few challenges along the way, I have to say that I have so much felt His sustaining hand and His peace in it all. The peace He gives is great ... and nothing that this world could ever give! I love it. I've been so refreshed lately to be reminded of how I am nothing and He is everything. May He live His life through me ... may I decrease and He increase in each part of my life.

These next few lines are ... almost really scary, at least from a human standpoint. (I have to be honest!!;-)) But oh, how I want them to more and more be my prayer. I know, deep down, that the lives filled with the most joy are those that are laid down at the feet of Jesus with total abandonment. I love when I catch glimpses of what that can look like ... and I love that God is so patient with me and faithful to bring situations into my life that He can use to make me just a little more like Him when I yield and let Him!

Here are those "scary", yet, I believe, glorious lines ... :)

Ruin my life, the plans I have made
Ruin desires for my own selfish gain
Destroy the idols that have taken Your place
'Till its You alone I live for,
You alone I live for.*

*lyrics from "Ruin Me," written and sung by Jeff Johnson

God's Goodness in this New Year

It would be hard to describe all the Lord has been doing in my life in the first few days of this new year. He has really been working in me, showing me some of those areas in which I need to grow and helping me so much already . . . and giving me such good times with Him.

I love the sweetness of His presence. True, life will have its challenges and hardships . . . but in all of it, if we know Jesus, we have His dear presence to encourage and to guide. What greater gift could we desire, deep down, than that . . . and yet He gracious chooses to not only give us Himself, the best gift of all, but also bestow on us many other wonderful blessings in this life.

I have found lately that life has not been without its challenges and stressful moments with the different things He's put on my plate ... yet He's been so faithful to me in the midst of it all, abundantly faithful. Two meetings I had at work today went so well and over and beyond what I could have hoped for ... God has truly been so good to me.

I am so grateful for my Savior. I can’t imagine life without Him! It’s exciting to think of this new year and all that He will do in and through me as (by His grace) I let go more and yield more of me to Him. I know I have so far to go in this area, but I truly believe brokenness is the way to abundant life. I think of Jim Elliot who gave his life to reach the Auca Indians, who said, “He is no fool who gives the things He cannot keep [the things of this life] to gain the things He cannot lose.”

I am grateful for a God who doesn’t give up on me . . . who gives me second, third and fourth chances . . . again and again . . . who, in fact, never runs out of patience toward me and continually gives me the opportunity to know Him more and walk more closely with Him. He is amazing and wonderful, and I find myself falling more and more in love with Him each day.