there your heart will be also

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

This verse is ringing true to me now more than ever. Time wasted on worrying about money, stuff, clothes, the way we look, having the right thing, the right couch is just not worth it. Live the life God intended you to now. Relationships are what matters, giving your life away is what matters, bettering others lives is what matters, being hospitable is what matters, being selfless is what matters. 

Our dear dear friends lost their house in a fire this past weekend. It was one of the most horrific things I've seen. Their home was a home open to our entire community. They were the most sacrificial with their space and it was a home where many people grew up, learned more about God and felt loved. My best friend told me that God has been telling her over and over "but I still remain".  It's true, He does, and all of the work He did in that home still remains.

Please pray for my friends. They love the Lord with all of their heart. It devastates me that this would happen to people like them, but I know that the Lord remains and He remains victorious.

psalm 62

this is a re-run from a previous guest post I did for Jen but my life has been super crazy busy lately so I felt like I needed to read it again.. and maybe you do too!

_________________________________________________________________


I am a do-er, a go-getter, a must finish everything on the to-do lister,  a feels guilty when I sit downer. While these can be good qualities, sometimes I am busy to a fault. I burn out, I feel overwhelmed, I don't  have peace, I have a break downs.

Then one day, God told me this:

Source: google.com via Olivia on Pinterest

I realized my issue of not being able to rest was also an issue of trust and control. Could I give it up? Could I let go to how tight I was holding? I wanted to because I was so tired. This verse spoke to me so clearly and became a source of comfort. I did need to rest, I couldn't keep going the way I was going and it's a constant reminder of that. I am so grateful that God calls us to rest and not only to rest but IN HIM. I picture God's arms looking like a hammock resting in the sunshine and when I fall down into it, I'm greeted with fluffy pillows and don't have to move a muscle once I am there because I am so comfortable.

Source: dressdesigndecor.blogspot.com via Olivia on Pinterest

It also reminds me that to trust in Him, I need to give up complete control. Living in this state of rest does mean letting Him run my life, letting Him make the hard decisions and going where He calls me. It will always be BETTER when He does that, He knows us better than we know ourselves, He loves us more than we can ever imagine, so why not rest in Him and let Him do the heavy lifting? He is able and wants to!

This verse also gives you encouragement to keep going. He will protect and carry your burden. I try to live as this verse says everyday, to go about my day getting things done but in a constant state of rest, rest in the arms of the One who loves me most.

How does this verse speak to you? Do you feel like resting in Christ is easy for you or hard? Have you ever put your trust and complete rest in Him ever before?

wish I was here wednesday

heading back into the "real world" after vacation has always been super hard for me, maybe most others as well. It's only Wednesday and I'm already feeling way overwhelmed about the amount of things going on in my life as well as catching up from when I was gone and looking forward to the next season. SO I'm clinging to this right now:

Source: thebluepeonyblog.blogspot.com via Olivia on Pinterest

and also wish that I was here right now:

Source: bluepueblo.tumblr.com via Olivia on Pinterest

He is all I need

resting in this today as I head off to Malibu to take high school girls to Young Life camp!!! Pray for me and my sweet girls this week if you think of it :)

Source: etsy.com via Olivia on Pinterest

#truth

Source: flickr.com via Olivia on Pinterest

rejoice always

striving for this Truth today. feeling worn out and beat down by illness

Source: spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com via Olivia on Pinterest

over here today

Friends, posting about REST over at the Arizona Russums today. Check it out here

heart issue

Don't just be after actual change, be after heart change.
No matter the situation, if you have Peace, you have it.

Source: spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com via Olivia on Pinterest

dwell

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

what is this verse speaking to you today?

dwell: Kristina of Communication Rhodes

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9


Hello, my name is Kristina from Communication Rhodes and I am simply delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this series. However, I’ll be honest with you. The year of 2011 was a year of great suffering for me.

After graduating from the University of Oregon in 2010, with a major in journalism and public relations, I landed a dream job at a dream agency, here at home, in Portland, Oregon.

 Two days after my 23rd birthday, January 27, 2011, I woke keeled over with abdominal pain. I’ve had my share of “womanly problems” over the years, but this type of pain was different. It was deeper and seemed to be throughout my pelvic area. Imagine if someone kicked you in the crotch with a big work boot on, that’s the kind of throbbing pain I’m talking about. The pain came in waves and when it lasted more than a week, I called my doctor. I had numerous visits to the ER, five MRIs and a series of misdiagnosis, and by May the pain was constant and still undiagnosed. I started having to call in sick to work because just getting out of bed and standing was more than I could bear.

Initially, I was in complete denial. When I began to feel the pain, I kept thinking, “you can do it, just work through it,” or “you’re just not trying hard enough.” I am a perfectionist, type-A, only child and complete work-aholic. I have a plan for everything. I have a plan for tomorrow, next week, the next five years and I know exactly where I want to be in ten years. Have you ever watched Gilmore Girls? Let’s just say I see a bit of Paris Geller in myself. When this illness came it didn’t take long for me to realize it was completely out of my control. Nothing I did helped. Nothing. I could not control the situation and I started freaking out.

 I cried out to the Lord, sobbing myself to sleep and begging Him to take away this pain. I would literally shake, become nauseated and sweat through my clothes because the pain was so intense. I would pray, “No Lord, this wasn’t in the plan!” “Why did you give me this perfect job, just to take it away?!” “Why do I have to suffer like this for so long?” Why? I dug in my heels and would not let go. I genuinely didn’t know that the human body could endure so much pain. In June, my boss graciously offered me a medical leave from work because sitting for more than fifteen minutes had me in tears and my boss said she was “tortured looking at me in so much pain.” By the time October rolled around, I was told that I had, “exhausted the resources of OHSU.” Doctors I met with didn’t know what was causing my pain or how to treat me. By this point I had taken two medical leaves.

 After eight doctors threw up their hands and literally gave up on my case, my family and I did some research and found a clinic in San Francisco that specializes in pelvic pain. The physical therapists at this clinic, not only understood my pain, but also how to treat it. For the first time in eight months I saw a glimpse of what could be. I’m now in follow-up physical therapy here in PDX and while the improvements are small, I am still making them. When I say that I’m making improvements, I mean that I can now walk six houses down my street and back without increasing my pain. This believe it or not, is a vast improvement.

 At the end of November, I resigned from my position at work. It just wasn’t fair to keep my boss or my team hanging and I couldn’t honestly provide a return date. My boss was beyond gracious and my team was incredibly kind and supportive. The simple act of letting that go was heartbreaking. I never would have imagined in my worst nightmare that I’d be sitting here in December, still in debilitating pain. 

Now we are rolling into 2012 and I’m still in constant pain, I live with my parents, I need help doing most things and the pain has me housebound. I recently joked to a friend that I live in an assisted living home, but really that’s what it feels like. Literally every aspect of my life has been unplugged. However, I am now starting to see my situation differently. At age five I accepted Christ and was raised by two amazing parents who live their lives passionately for the Lord. Growing up, I read about God’s sovereignty and heard people talk about it, but experiencing it is an entirely different thing. I am starting to see now why scripture talks about how and why we should rejoice in our sufferings. It is a refinement of our faith.

 What a blessing to receive this refinement at age 23! I can now take these lessons with me for the rest of my life and live closer to Christ. The Lord is teaching me to lean on Him and to trust Him more and more, day by day. I need Him every hour and I’ve really learned He’s all I need.

 He is beginning to pull back the curtain on the lesson in all of this: Relinquishing control and submitting to God’s plan for tomorrow, next week and for my life. I’m starting to focus on my blessings. All in all, God is good. He is sovereign and His plan is perfect.

 The following passage is a good summary of what’s been on my heart lately: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9

 Faith is a gift, the most precious kind. What an even greater gift to have a Heavenly Father love so deeply that He refines our faith in the fire! It’s the fire and the suffering part that’s painful, excruciating really. Even through I may not always feel the Lord’s presence, I know that He is there and I know that He will never leave me.

 That’s where I’m at right now. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m grateful for the incredible support team (my family, friends and church community) that the Lord has provided for me and for the way that He’s changing my heart to see Him more clearly and trust Him more fully. My story isn’t mine alone to right, but rather is held in the sovereign hand of God. I trust that He loves me more than I’ll ever be able to understand and more than my current circumstances would lead me to believe.

dwell

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

::2 Corinthians 4:8-12

grateful for this truth right now and thankful for a God who loved us SO much that He sent his son to be born yesterday to save us all. Hope you all had a Christmas filled with JOY& gratitude. Let us remember today & tomorrow, not just yesterday,  how much we are in need of our Savior and allow Him to save us over and over again.

dwell: Blair of Wild & Precious

Hi sweet friends & readers of For Me! Pleased to make your acquaintance! (I know that is a super old school thing to say, but I decided... just now... to bring it back! Feel free to join me in making that a trend!) I'm blair from Wild & Precious (you read why I named my blog that by clicking aqui) and I'm excited to be a part of Olivia's Dwell series. To be honest I've started and deleted this post about five times -- not quite sure what to share. When in doubt - let the scripture talk for itself though... So i thought I would share one of my favorite verses and a very short tidbit on how It came to be so. Here we go:

{via pinterest}

When I got to college -- I thought I knew it all.  I was little suzy sunday school, goody two shoes, everybody look at me cause I'm awesome -- that girl!  I busied myself with going to a different church club every night.  I was staying up way too late trying to be everything to everyone.  About two months in God began to break me... which was scary and beautiful all at the same time.  During this time God blessed me with an older girl who pursued and challenged me.  She gave me this verse:

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth I desire but you.  My flesh and my heart may fail me, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25-26

It penetrated my heart as I began to see that amongst all the church groups and sunday school answers I had made little room for a Savior... and in fact, was trying to be my own.   Praise the LORD we don't save ourselves.  When I am the most tired, unloving, and irritable, if I take a minute to investigate, it more often than not is because I have relied to much on myself and on the world that day for my happiness and not on the Creator of the heavens and earth! You can only pretend to function like that for so long.

 I'm so thankful for this verse.  I pull it out quite often as it both convicts and encourages me and ask myself these questions:  Am I looking to my heavenly father for strength? Is my desire to follow my Savior stronger than my desire for the things of this earth?  Do I believe that Christ is sufficient? Even though my answer to these questions is far to often "no," these questions help me keep my heart in check.  Our flesh and our heart do fail -- but don't be discouraged in that... we have a Savior, mighty to save!  Halleluia!

How does this verse speak to you today? Would love to hear!

{ps if you'd like to be a part of the dwell series, email olivia: oliviakcarter@gmail.com}

dwell: Lindsey of Ruby Girl

"I am now going to allure her;

I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her back her vineyards,

and will make the Valley of [Trouble] a door of hope

There she will respond as in the days of her youth"

Hosea 2:14-15

My name's Lindsey, and I've got a little fashion blog going called Ruby Girl. I've also got just the coolest hubby out there, who is as goofy as I am, enough to play the "snort" game with me to pass the time on the way to a family Christmas party. I just adore him. More than anything, I'm a daughter of the King. I love that... any of us ladies who have decided to follow Jesus are daughters of the King. Humbly dignified and glowing beauties in His eyes, with full access to the Kingdom.

This is one of my favorite verses, one of these I flip to when I need to remember that I don't need to work my fanny off to earn God's love. That I don't have to be perfect before I sit at His feet. Check it out,

"I am now going to allure her;

I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her back her vineyards,

and will make the Valley of [Trouble] a door of hope

There she will respond as in the days of her youth"

Hosea 2:14-15

This invigorates me. My chin is up and I'm ready to take on anything with God's strength. I'm motivated to love Him by living His way, not mine. To slow down enough to listen to Him. To dance freely in His throne-room. I'm willing to let my own urges and inklings surrender to His, because He is a good good God, who loves me in the purest, most earth-shattering way, and for no stinkin reason! 

Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Pinterest

{if you are interested in sharing what God has been putting on your heart with scripture in the dwell series, email me oliviakcarter@gmail.com}

dwell: Lindsey of Lyrics of our Life

 "Create in me a pure heart, O God,
   and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
:::Psalm 51:10

When sweet Olivia asked me to be a part of this series, I was in such a crazy place.

I had just quit my job, I was starting a "new one" as a full time momma. I was transitioning into spending my days with one person, rather than the halls of a school swarming with 500 people, we were jumping on the budget bandwagon with now just one income, and of course it wasn't a smooth transition {for me}.

I began setting countless unreachable goals.:
              ..I must keep the house clean. Very clean. What I learned quickly was that having a non-stop moving toddler around who also happens to be in stage10 cling-to-momma phase doesn't give me loads of "cleaning time..."

             ...I must make dinner each night for our family, and better add a pretty darn good lunch and breakfast for my little guy. What I learned quickly was that big creative meals cost $$. and we're on a budget. it's tight. and, also? it's hard to cook anytime during 3:30 - 5:00, because little romes is just a TAD needy during those times. yikes. hello grilled cheese?

           ...I wanted to do crafts. more crafts. more decorating. more sewing. What I learned quickly was that being a momma {parenting, trying to clean, trying to cook, beginning to figure out how to discipline our little rambunctious bambino and managing to stay consistent with it, oh and getting a shower in here and there} doesn't exactly allow for a nice quiet space to get my creative on. nope. doesn't happen.
   
         ...I wanted to meet up with all of my momma friends. What I learned quickly was that kids get sick, and kids don't sleep well at night, and kids have busy parents, and kids need naps, and kids need meals, and momma? We have to do what's best for those kids, and these things don't allow for hours stacked upon hours of girly/momma time. nope.

So you can imagine the slow "let down" i experienced in my first couple of months with this new gig i landed. the gig i begged for, forever. This one particular verse began ringing in my ears.

[CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART OH GOD, and RENEW A STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME]

I couldn't even remember where the verse was in the bible, or what its context was, but it came to me throughout the day, and the Lord used it to breathe life into me. Slowly, I snapped out of it, the joy came back.

When I looked up the verse, I learned that in this chapter of psalms, david realizes what an unclean heart he had [me too, david.] and he confesses it to God asking, begging, that God would create for him a CLEAN HEART. [i, too, wanted SO badly to feel the JOY of salvation and i wasn't]

and i realized in psalm 51, that when we doubt ourselves and don't confess and cry out for help, we can't experience the joy. and thus we feel weak [let me tell ya, i was weak] .......so we learn that the more we lean on him, the more we receive HIS grace. and so, the more cheerful we are in our daily duties, the more JOY we will experience because NONE of my troubles or fears can keep me my heart from receiving grace. [ahhhh grace, such a beautiful thing, ey?]

so now, when i say this small part of psalm 51 [CREATE in me a PURE HEART oh God, and RENEW a steadfast SPIRIT within me] over and over throughout my days, i know where the joy that i feel is coming from...........it's the continued joy of all the redeemed, we have redemption through the blood of Christ, our sins are FORGIVEN according to the riches of HIS grace.

I wanted to share this with you, because, I know that no matter WHERE you are at in life, whatever SEASON you find yourself in, there are ALWAYS letdowns from setting unrealistic goals.

there are always happenings that will question and compete with experiencing true joy.

please find your JOY in HIM? It's an overwhelming sense of peace :)

so what about my clean house?

my dinners?

my crafts?

my playdates?

well, they happen when they can.

and when they don't it's okay.

I've let go of my expectations. they were unrealistic. and i let them attack me.

I know, as with every job, there are successes and defeats.

I'm praying. EACH DAY. that i receive grace.

and i know that SLOWLY, I'm being refined into the wife and mother I'm called to be.

i'll get there.

one day at a time.

XO, Lindsey 

dwell: Anna of Freckled Fashionista

Source: everyday-patricia.tumblr.com via Änna on Pinterest

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." 


:::Matthew 6:33-34

Hi All. I'm Anna, Olivia's sister, excited to share with you today what God is teaching me. I am at a funny spot in life. I am in my senior year of college and have only two terms left until I graduate! College has been a crazy time of growth (as well as mistakes) and God has done amazing things in the last four years. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to go to college, live in a house, and have my parents support me 100% financially. 

Since this is my last year in college I get asked the same question over and over. "So what's next for you?"Uhhh... I don't know? I will be graduating with a degree in Public Relations, I know that. But as for a job? A place to live? I have no stinkin' clue. I find myself stressing and worrying about this next phase of life and I find that it's robbing the joy that the Lord has for me today.

God has provided for me in so many ways. He's had me meet the perfect friends, He's provided a wonderful supportive family, He brought the most amazing man into my life, He's taken me to Africa and back, and much much more. When I think something is impossible, He has made it possible. What do I even have to worry? He has a plan for me and my future, a perfect one. 

In this season of my life I want to remember that ultimately He is in charge. Why worry my days away?   I have faith in trust in my heavenly father to take care of me and reveal to me his perfect plan in his perfect time. 

I hope that if any of you find yourself worrying about the future and your plans that this verse in Matthew gives you comfort. I know that it has for me! 

dwell: Michelle of Delighted

Hi Friends! I'm Michelle, the girl behind Delighted! When Olivia invited me to be a part of Dwell, I was honored with the opportunity to share what the Lord has been doing in my life lately. I can summarize a lot of what I've been learning lately in the following verses found in Ephesians 4.

 via

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. " Ephesians 4:1-2

I'll admit, I read this verse a couple of weeks ago and thought to myself "oh what a nice intro verse to Ephesians". (Yes, that's shallow and sad, but I'm being honest.) Not feeling quiet done with Ephesians 4 I read the chapter the next day, that day I was rather stressed and probably not in the most friendly mood.  The moment I read this verse I felt like the Lord said "So, how are you living that out today?"

"Oh yea, thanks God." I prayed in embarrassment.

Realizing that the things in verse 2 were things that I was lacking, I started unpacking the verse word by word, and challenging myself to live up to the call theses verses make.

"Humble" "Gentle" "Patient" "Bearing with one another in love"

Ask the Lord for the strength to take on each one of these qualities and let's step up and "live a life worthy of the calling you have received."

-Michelle

dwell: Brittany of Little Ditties

 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."

  1 Corinthians 13:4

Hey guys, my name is Brittany and I'm from Little Ditties.  I'm so excited to hopefully meet more of you as we encourage one another through Dwell =) The thing I love so much about scripture is how it can speak to you at different points in your life and you can get something totally different from it each time you read it.  


This last year has been an interesting one for me and my husband.  This past year I quit my job to help out with our wedding film company.  It has been a tougher transition than I thought it would. Living, working and playing all in a tiny Brooklyn apartment together.   


Which brings me to scripture, 1 Corinthians 13:4..... "Love is Patient, Love is kind....Love does not envy, it does not boast...you all know the one to the point where if your at a wedding you exchange glances and think "this is so cliche".  Well, recently my eyes were opened to this scripture in a amazing way.


 Our pastor simply flipped the words and a lightbulb went off in my head. Like hearing something for the very first time.  He simply said why not look at it like this, Patience IS love, Kindness IS love...  I think I often times get caught up in the ideas our society puts in our head of how love should look. You know, like a romantic comedy.


 A lot of times getting upset and thinking my husband or anyone for that matter needs to change, but rarely flipping it back to me and how I can make myself a better wife and partner. Showing love to him and others means encompassing all these things. Because that IS what makes up love. 


Read this scripture in a NEW way today, how is it speaking to you?






{ps if you'd like to write a post for this series, email me oliviakcarter@gmail.com}

need these in my home.

dwell: Sarah of Frills for Thrills

The LORD your God is with you,
 the Mighty Warrior who saves.
 He will take great delight in you; 
 in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
 but will rejoice over you with singing. 

::Zephaniah 3:17

 I absolutely love this verse because it speaks of God's love for us. He, the Mighty Warrior, is with us. Most of the Bible teaches us to love God more and to be satisfied in Him... which is all true, but I love how expressive this is of God's love for us. He delights in you!

 A lot of people view God as this powerful old man in the clouds who shoots lightening bolts from His fingers every time we do something wrong. When I read this verse, I picture a proud parent singing and dancing over me and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This is such a true depiction of God's love for us-- for you!

 How do you picture God? Have you ever realized how much joy He finds in you?

----Sarah of Frills for Thrills

dwell: Tamara of a.toodle.lee.do

"Guard your heart more than anything else because the source of life flows through it. "
                   --Proverbs 4:23 

 Hi, I'm Tamara from a.toodle.lee.do 

 I'm so happy to be apart of the Dwell series. Lately, I've been wondering if life ever will slow down. And with the holidays around the corner, I have a feeling that nothing will be slowing down. Many times when life is speeding by, it's easy for me to forget to care for the matters of my heart.

 This scripture has always spoken volumes to me. 'Guard your heart MORE than anything' meaning let's put heart matters first. Many times this means for me to make sure I'm reading the Bible. It also plays a part of creativity, friendship, marriage, mood swings, etc… From your heart everything flows like the verse explains.

 Whenever I'm feeling anxious, jealous, impatient, angry, lazy.. ..you name it, I always refer back to my heart. Why do I feel like this? What is my heart craving? Why is my heart so ugly? It points back to not caring for my own heart. Practically, it could be that I'm not sleeping enough or I'm not being thankful for what I am already blessed with.

 I'm encouraged by this scripture because I know my heart is to seek first God, to care for my husband and home, and to be joyful for others. When I'm caring for my heart than what comes out is love. It's such a beautiful thing.

 My God help us careful examine our hearts so that love is continuously flowing.