olive thinks.

Who am I Lord to walk with you? Who am I that I can even sing praises unto your name? Who am I to even imitate you, my creator? 

In all that I do, I am honored to worship you my Lord.

Learning how to stand and speak against injustice.

I’ve always been a coward when it comes to speaking against strangers especially when it came to defending a family member. It’s easy to crawl up and try to “handle” the mistreatment, thinking it’s my fault but I must go against this temptation. I am a child of God. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is my rock and my salvation.

Lord, give me courage today to speak and not shift the blame to those that are closest to me. I desire integrity in my heart so that I may stand stubbornly for what is just.

Update: I DID IT! Thank you Jesus. HA HA! Hallelujah.

“…. throughout all our personality we are God’s, and since God has made our whole selves, there is great joy in realizing who is our Creator. This realization is to permeate every area and level of life. In appreciation of beauty, mountains, music, poetry, knowledge, people, science - even in the tang of an apple - God is there, to reflect the joy of His presence in the believer who will realize God’s purposes in all things.”

-from Through Gates of Splendor.

Thanks, susan!

It’s saturday and it’s beautiful.  The sun is beaming and the rays are bouncing off my cheeks and I’m able to bask in God’s goodness. A word came to mind. Love. The rolling clouds, the birds chirping, and the leaves on a tree swaying is a reminder of God’s love for humanity.  

As I was folding the laundry and preparing breakfast, it suddenly dawned on me why the Japanese are so meticulous in their ways and do everything  with precision. Since the japanese culture consists of millions and millions of gods, they do it out of reverence and worship to whatever they are doing.  It’s karma. They fold their underwear because it’s a form of worship to the underwear god!!! Then it got me thinking, how much more would Christians be like the Japanese if we truly understood that all that we have don’t belong to us but are God’s?  Things won’t be wasted so easily and hoarded.  We won’t be so messy but organized knowing that we are just pilgrims on this earth. Pollution won’t be so bad. We won’t be wasting and accumulating so much.  The poor would be fed.  The widows and orphans taken care of.  People won’t be sold in exchange for money.  Underwears would be folded neatly.

Lots of things that we’ve done to this earth is because we’ve limited our way of worshipping God.  We are ignorant on HOW BEAUTIFUL AND GREAT AND AWESOME our GOD IS!

I remember as a kid I loved to be organized. I loved cleaning. There was this joy that came from seeing all the dust wiped off and things in its proper place. Today while doing the dishes and making breakfast, I understood the higher purpose of everything.  I was able to find such delight in placing the eggs in the right place, making them look beautiful and presentable because it was no longer out of fear or carelessness but truly out of acknowledging God’s presence and my form of worship to Him.  I no longer have to do it because I HAVE TO but because I GET to.  I do it out of my worship to God and He truly has no boundaries.  I’m now so excited to clean my room out of reverence to my Father! :) 

Lord, I am honored to live for You.

Dad, you delight in us.

You are full of joy when I walk, breathe, eat, exercise, dance, draw, work, plan, and create.  You are never disappointed when we don’t do what we think you want us to do. 

There is infinite joy knowing that there is nothing that can separate me from your love.  In Christ I am infinitely forgiven and loved. Knowing this, I want to give you my heart and worship you for all of eternity!

I have no words to describe how awesome You are, Lord.

Ah!!!!

The greatest display of God’s glory comes from deep delight in all that He is.

The true root of obedience comes out of deep satisfaction in all that He is.

Grace is not a response to our worth. It is the overflow of his infinite worth. In fact, that is what divine love is in the end: a passion to enthrall undeserving sinners, at great cost, with what will make us supremely happy forever, namely, his infinite beauty.

John piper

Woooooohoooooooooo

Most of our unhappiness in life comes from listening to ourselves…we need to preach the gospel to our soul.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Today, for the very first time, I worshipped in my sleep.  LOL. Being aware of God’s presence daily is truly amazing. AH!

There is only one found worthy. 

Jesus.

Hallelujah!

I am my beloved’s and He is mine.

Solomon 6:3

It’s funny how I say I believe in a God who is good but yet am so utterly shocked when He chooses to speak and bless me more than I can ever imagine.  The statement “God is good” can be so easily used in vain especially when it’s tossed around so frequently with a lack of belief.  At this very moment, through the help of the holy spirit and by the grace of God I am able to taste probably an itsy bitsy tiny bit of God’s goodness.  

What does it mean to enjoy God?  I realized that “to not enjoy God would be because of my lack in knowing who He is and to not enjoy him and find in him, infinite pleasures”.. pleasure within pleasures forever… that’d be sin.  It’s a rejection to find joy in God but in things that do not last because ultimately, my sinful nature believes that idols are worthy of worship more than God, Himself.  Ultimately, the root of all sin is the disbelief, ignorance and even the incapability of grasping how magnificent, gracious, and wonderfully beautiful He is. So the way to salvation would be to “believe.”

And THIS GOD calls me beloved. THIS GOD awakened my senses and is continually doing so to His presence.  THIS GOD chose me before the foundation of the world.  THIS GOD raised me to life.  THIS GOD is jealous for my heart. THIS GOD gives me identity, value, worth, hope, a future, an abundant life, restoration and healing.  THIS GOD makes me shine like the stars.  THIS GOD instilled His spirit in me.  THIS GOD loved me so much that He bore my sins on the cross. 

Because of Jesus, I am infinitely forgiven.  I am welcomed into eternity with Him.  I am sanctified.  I am called to a higher calling. I am a daughter.  I am complete.

I no longer have the attitude of I HAVE to or even a I WANT to.. but now I GET to do things for Him.  I GET to walk with HIM.  I GET to talk to HIM.  I GET to see what HE sees. I GET to do what HE does.  I GET to be part of his infinite and glorious plan. I GET to speak for HIM. I GET to be LIKE HIM to others. I GET to be persecuted for Him. WHO GETS TO?!?! ONLY THOSE THAT ARE INFINITELY BLESSED AND FAVORED BY THE MOST HIGH GOD!!!

THIS IS CRAZY!

It is not through my performance but on his infinite grace. He cannot love me less or love me more because I’m not saved by what I do in the first place.

God, seriously. YOU THE BEST.