Categories
- BLAT (2)
- Book Reviews (9)
- brothels (1)
- Creativity (4)
- decluttering (5)
- goals (4)
- home birth (3)
- Life (136)
- Maker's Diet (5)
- Missions (7)
- Money (1)
- Natural Living (2)
- Neighbours (2)
- NFP (1)
- Nicaragua 2014 (14)
- Parenthood (8)
- poetry (3)
- Prayer (10)
- pregnancy (18)
- Project 333 (1)
- psalm 40 (3)
- Reviews (2)
- Scripture (22)
- suffering (6)
- Thoughts (97)
- Three Things Thursday (16)
- Torre (1)
- Uncategorized (44)
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: psalm 40
Remember 5 1/2 years ago when I was memorizing Psalm 40? Me neither... I knew it was ages ago but didn't think it was SO long ago. Like pre-parenthood long ago. And the years keep flying by. I was reading Psalm 40 this morning during quiet time with God, and verse 11 echoed in my heart:
As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me.
I certainly don't have this psalm memorized anymore, although it does give me a sense of familiarity when I read it. I remember the first time this verse struck me, the generosity of the language, the idea that God's mercy can be restrained or poured out as he chooses, and the wonder of having this type of relationship where you know that God will not hold his mercy back.
I've been walking through a season of unrestrained mercy in a kind of brutal way these last few months. 2016 came to an end with heartbreak and tumult, and I felt like I had to re-learn every big lesson I've ever learned with God. But here at the start of a new year when I have made no resolutions, the simple things like spending quiet time with God feel like a life raft I keep forgetting about. Like, why am I treading water in the cold ocean of life?
Today I am grateful to know a God who invites me to sit at his feet and rest in his presence.
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: psalm 40
I was surfing around on the internet a few nights ago and came across resources to memorize Colossians over the course of a year (only two verses a week!). I kind of wanted to go for it... and I still might. But I realized that before I jump into a lofty goal like that, I should really wrap up my current memorization goal first: to learn Psalm 40 by heart.
So I buckled down, and after much muttering to myself in public places, double checking words (is it Lord or God? Hurt or harm?), I am pleased to say that I think it's all in there! I will continue reviewing it daily for a few more days at least, and I hope to review it once a week or so to keep it in my mind. Which brings me to the other thing I wanted to do - brush up on Hebrews 12. I used to know so much of that chapter! And, while we're talking about it, Ephesians 4 as well, but that has faded away even more than I should say. Let it be known I memorized Ephesians 4 before I learned and forgot all the Brazilian Portuguese to do with my semester abroad. SO. It's pretty gone.
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: psalm 40
I am in the process of memorizing this psalm, and every once in a while when I am repeating a phrase or verse to myself for the umpteenth time, it strikes me differently. I love memorizing because it is such a different approach to scripture than reading for information or interpretation. I am up to verse 11 and thought I would share some of the things that have struck me differently or stood out to me so far.
The first three verses tell a beautiful transformation from agony and insecurity to salvation. The psalmist (David) says "I waited patiently" but we immediately see that God heard his cry and responded. I wonder what patient waiting looks like in this context, whether the "cry" that God hears is a spiritual cry from suffering in silence, or if it is crying out yet accepting God's timing for his response.