Faith

Excerpts from Steven Furticks "crash the chatterbox". A gift from my friend Jeremy. 

"Now I want to ask you a question. 

How can the enemy possibly hope to destroy a believer with the kind of faith that hears Gods voice loud and clear - even above the most violent storm imaginable?"

"Sometimes the worst possible things you can imagine DO happen. When it happens, what do you find there?  Only people who have been to the absolute bottom have the right to report with veracity: God himself is at the bottom. His voice is there. And when there is only silence, He is still there." 

"At the bottom of the deepest, darkest, what-if imagine able is a faithful God." 

"Building your life on this Rock, the immovable Cornerstone, doesn't make you immune to storms or deaths, or layoffs, or stock market crashes, or breakups or the flue. Nor does it pain-proof your heart from the sting of loss, embarrassment, failure or rejection." 

"There is Solid Rock at the bottom. If you have built your life on confidence in the promises of Christ, then you can dive into your what-ifs and although you may loose your breath, somehow you keep breathing. Somehow you stay standing through the storm." 

Through the storm, He is Lord, Lord of all. 

So far, this year has been the best and worst year of my life. So FUN!!! But So HARD!!! I am grateful for every single day of it. every.single.day!! 

It's been such a fun year of moving in with girlfriends that only the movies can screenwriter about, doing triathlons and marathons and feeling the same rush you had in primary school carnival, living by the beach and feeling your entire being flood with peace every time you open your shades or come home, working your dream job and feeling so fulfilled, making new friends almost monthly and feeling new parts of your personality come out and flourish, and discovering God in all of it. 

But in the same track, everything I thought of as a crutch has been taken out from under my arms this year. Family stability, friendships, relationship possibilities, job confidence. 

At the deepest and scariest moments when I've been face to face with what I've never been brave enough to face - I discovered that it wasn't that scary after all. I met God there. In that deep, dark, scary place - fear lost it's grip and I stood boldly in the dark and discovered that Jesus shone brighter. His love led me through the gates of fear and painted the sky with glorious colours I'd never seen otherwise. 

On the mornings I was to weak to get out of bed and face the reality - He beckoned me out with His gentle whispers and spoke to me only rhema He could give. Tears streaming down my face as I sat on my knees and heard Him whisper words of love, worth, identity, reassurance, direction, correction over me. He took me to the places in my heart I was hurt and redeemed the memories. 

I always write a quote on whatever journal book I'm using. 

This is a quote from Corrie ten Boom that I absolutely love: 

"We must tell them that there is no put so deep that He is not deeper still."

Where fear threatens, love prevails and beckons. His perfect love then casts out all our fear and we have the sweet commune with our Lord Jesus. 

While things have never looked better and are greatly improving (hence probably why I feel comfortable in writing about this), I've certainly learnt not to trust this calm. While every day still feels like I live on the set of Friends, I've learnt the hard way about misplaced hope!! 

But I will take this time of calm to acknowledge that The Lord is Lord of the storm. I don't focus on the waves nor the calm. I fix my gaze on Jesus, who beckons me out from the boat, into the murky waters and makes me brave to trust Him enough to walk on water.  

Because He's there even if all else fails. Holding me, sustaining me, lifting up my arms so that they depend on no other crutch. 

My cornerstone, He is Lord of all.