tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30531200488701799622024-03-05T21:53:57.738-08:00Passion.Desire.Pursuit.IntimacyPassion Desire Pursuit IntimacyErin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-55803006096092551222013-02-25T20:44:00.001-08:002013-02-25T20:44:38.894-08:00{the sting}<div style="text-align: center;">
bite vs. sting</div>
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a sting and a bite both hurt initially</div>
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but the bite can be delishiously </div>
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whereas a sting may be suspiciously</div>
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stolen...</div>
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<br /></div>
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a bite and a sting are both stolen</div>
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the sting can be as pollen</div>
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whereas the bite is fallen</div>
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neither satisfying...</div>
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<br /></div>
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a sting and a bite both are denying</div>
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but the bite can be truly trying</div>
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and the sting then is more subsiding</div>
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that latter as the better...</div>
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<br /></div>
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a bite and a sting are both means of letters</div>
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the sting is already in the setter</div>
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but the bite is just metter</div>
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work...</div>
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work is satisfying </div>
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secret but not stolen</div>
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truly professional, I'm not denying</div>
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and in the letters</div>
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we find words...</div>
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the bite is the outcome of the words</div>
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the sting is each of the words</div>
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but...</div>
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<br /></div>
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the aftereffect does not equal destruction</div>
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unless you let it, that is</div>
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Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-37004442476005553332013-02-25T13:56:00.001-08:002013-02-25T13:56:45.395-08:00{You're Not Alone}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8FXLo3aCkuQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Meredith Andrews, You're Not Alone</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I search for love, when the night came, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And it closed in, I was alone, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">But you found me, where I was hiding, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And now I'll never ever be the same, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">It was the sweetest voice, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">That called my name saying</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">You're not alone, For I am here, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let me wipe away your every fear, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">My love I've never left your side, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I have seen you through the darkest night, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And I'm the one who's loved you all your life, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">All of your life</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">You cry your self to sleep, cause the hurt is real, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And the pain cuts deep, all hope seems lost, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">With heartache your closest friend, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And everyone else long gone, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">You've had to face the music on your own, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">But there is a sweeter song that calls you home saying</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">You're not alone, For I am here, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let me wipe away your every tear, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">My love I've never left your side, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I have seen you through the darkest night, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And I'm the one who's loved you all your life, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">All your life</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Faithful and true, Forever, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Oh my love will carry you</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">You're not alone, For I, I am here, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Let me wipe away your every fear</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Oh yeah, My love I've never left your side, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">I have seen you through the darkest night, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Your darkest night, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">And I'm the one who's loved you all your life, </span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">All of your life</span><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;" /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/m/meredith_andrews/</span></div>
Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-22244383915259676102013-02-11T10:36:00.001-08:002013-02-11T10:36:35.072-08:00{in fear...nasty thing}
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“Who wants to live in fear?” my
friend asks…my obvious response is, “nope, not me!” yet it is exactly where I
find myself right now. I grasp that fear is not of the Lord and in all reality
the enemy uses it in a mighty way to create a strain on something that is good
and of the Lord. </div>
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The definition of fear is, “the feeling of anxiety;
frightening thought; reverence; and worry” some synonyms include: terror,
dread, horror, fright, panic, trepidation and apprehension. Can anyone tell me
which of those are feelings from the Lord? Exactly, what I thought…none. Even
the realization of this “living in fear” is fearful and something I want to
reject and justify, but in all actuality the Lord has just given me the peace I
need for today. There are many scriptures on peace and provision, some I will
mention have helped me remember His truths and promises now: Psalm 68:9-10,
Isaiah 42:16, Isaiah 26:3-4 and Matthew 6: 25-34. </div>
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I don’t want to live in a pocket of
fear. It creates a turmoil inside of me that feels like a constant battle
between right and wrong. The conclusion that I have come to at this time is
that I know and can honestly say that the Lord has not told me "no". There is
nothing about the situation that creates red flags or is sinful at this point, other then the fear I am letting myself be entangled in. </div>
<h3 align="center" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.5in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #5c1101; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">2 Peter 2:19-21<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #5c1101; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">English
Standard Version (ESV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">19 </span></sup></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">They promise
them freedom, but they themselves are slaves</span><b><u><sup><span style="color: #b37162; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">a</span></sup></u></b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> of corruption. For
whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.<b><sup>20 </sup></b>For
if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them
and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the
first. <b><sup>21 </sup></b>For it would have been better for
them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn
back from the holy commandment delivered to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Here, Peter is writing to those of
the faith and describes some of the truths being taught by others. In chapter 2
he beings by acknowledging false prophets and teachers in the area bringing
heresies and destruction to those who follow it. Once we accept Jesus into our
hearts, we are freed from the entanglements of sin (fear, insecurities, and so
on), but our flesh is our own corruption due to the fall. Our hope we can find in this, is
the Lord’s forgiveness and grace, which leads to peace and security after repentance and surrender. </div>
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<br /></div>
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In new situations our first
reaction is to fear…it is the unknown that drives us to this place of
discontentment. Yet, we are called to be content with where the Lord has us at
this present time. I so often find myself living in thought of the future and
the truth is that- the Lord does not give us the peace and direction for even
tomorrow (most of the time). He does when we seek Him for that day…the present
day. So, why rush to understand something that He himself has given you peace
for in the today? </div>
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Like I said before, I can honestly say that I have no red
flags to move forward that are from the Lord. It is all from me! That is in
return saying that I would desire what I think is my good (which can and does
lead to destruction) rather then the Lord’s good. Who would you want to guide
you? </div>
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I’m going to put this out there so
I can look back on it and remember, so take this as a statement and hold me to
it…(I think I can ask you to do that)- I am fearful of: it being right, of
being moved from what I have known for so long (singleness), letting go,
allowing someone “in”, acceptance from others, others thoughts, thinking I’m
crazy and to much work, heart break, and honestly I could go on, but I am
making myself sick to think of all of this, when I just spent the last page
stating why not to fear. </div>
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So, I will stop…take a breath…speak
the Lord’s promises into my heart…smile…thank Him for today…and by joyful.</div>
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This is where He has me right now
and what is in front of me, so as I do with almost everything else- Go For IT
in surrender and direction from the Lord! It could be something that glorifies
the Lord to a great measure. If I say that I exist to glorify the Lord, then I need to stop
the stinkin fear! </div>
<!--EndFragment-->Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-20639995991630792122013-01-14T09:39:00.002-08:002013-01-14T09:39:17.844-08:00{The Gospel}<div style="text-align: center;">
Strong words by Tim Keller...love the truth in this </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRsKbcOmhT1-8yl1NlaN5QeYKwd3vu30C3EuLj9GMu1osfgdFHYnK7hBX8pDWtAMFQeg6PNodWe_grX_V4ZMDgtZd1MLSJIdu3aBTZwdkCyFlIvsesp9PYPDvwmnNJCl694b9mO1PHnc/s1600/keller-quote.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRsKbcOmhT1-8yl1NlaN5QeYKwd3vu30C3EuLj9GMu1osfgdFHYnK7hBX8pDWtAMFQeg6PNodWe_grX_V4ZMDgtZd1MLSJIdu3aBTZwdkCyFlIvsesp9PYPDvwmnNJCl694b9mO1PHnc/s400/keller-quote.jpeg" width="177" /></a></div>
Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-28789626993568816472013-01-14T09:33:00.002-08:002013-01-14T09:33:30.607-08:00{hearts desire}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lord enable me to become absolutely diligent in spending daily time with you, to be fervent in prayer with all honesty, love and adoration. That I would strive to speak boldly with compassion and discernment. Praying and seeking wisdom and knowledge, but not to come off to others as "to good". May I be and remain broken before you Lord, and ask for encounters with you that bring daily transformation. Lord, I believe and trust that you will and have begun doing this in me. I lay my life down before you...you have my heart</span></div>
Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-4825541763642875412013-01-10T20:55:00.000-08:002013-01-10T20:55:00.095-08:00{becoming...}<div style="text-align: center;">
It is safe to say, I am learning a lot right now...</div>
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No, I wouldn't change it for anything- even if you told me that it would make everything easier and maybe even make sense. I think we all have moments where we wish we knew why something was happening or why we are going through a trial. Here's the deal- we don't need to know, when we know and believe in our hearts that God is sovereign and our provider. </div>
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Did you catch that???</div>
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GOD IS SOVEREIGN <span style="font-size: x-small;">(supreme, preeminent, above all, with all power) </span></div>
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I have to remind myself of this daily. Often, many times throughout. It is something I know, yet strive to believe and trust. </div>
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One of my favorite things to do is sit down with women and hear their stories. The story of grace in their life- How Jesus chose them, captured their heart, romanced them, and called them to Him...it's the pursuit- how perfect it is. I see God's sovereignty daily, no joke there. Another thing I love is being able to recognize God's movement in and through others lives...my goodness, it brings me to tears when I see Him working even in the slightest way. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I have been blessed with some pretty amazing friends and could not be (well, could be) more thankful for them and my family. I would consider myself a passionate protective friend, sometimes to a fault-but I am learning. Isn't that amazing... we continue to learn-I never want to stop learning, honestly. </div>
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In saying that- there are many times I become over protective and speak quickly without really taking the time to think and process. I don't want to make excuses for myself blaming it on the fact that I am protective and want what God's best is for them, so I won't, but I am realizing this about myself...with help :) I'm beyond thankful for learning situations, because I know this is absolutely a work of the Lord and He is transforming me more into his likeness. I wouldn't want anything different, but it's not easy. Realizing these things I go to the automatic thought of- "Oh no, I hurt them"</div>
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I have been learning and studying a lot about becoming a woman of a gentle and quiet spirit. It is not my first instinct; which is not a bad thing, but it is something I really feel the Lord has directed me to pursue- and so I go... I have a competitive nature- one that wants to do well at tasks set before me and I have learned so much through that. I really believe I have found a lot of strength and the ability to persevere because of that, but there are other characteristics that I desire to have as well. </div>
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So, think about it...what characteristic do you possess, and how do you desire to grow in those and change in them as well?</div>
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-Help me out now...what do you think it means to be a woman of a gentle and quiet spirit? </div>
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-When you see this in others, what is it that draws you to that conclusion? </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My prayer is this- that I would hold fast to 1 Peter 3:3-4 "</i><i><span class="text 1Pet-3-3" id="en-ESV-30411" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—</span><span class="text 1Pet-3-4" id="en-ESV-30412" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup>but let your adorning be <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-30412B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." Lord, lead me...I want to learn</span></i></span></div>
Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-72833674195365771822013-01-08T20:40:00.000-08:002013-01-08T20:40:34.912-08:00{Interesting}It has been forever and trust me I have a good reason...<br />
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When I started seminary first of all my schedule went all crazy and I got ridiculously busy...second, I was not able to sign into my blog because the new school email messed with the email associated with my blog and all sorts of mess happened.<br />
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So, tonight as I am sitting here just finished my devo time I decided to figure this out because so much has been going on that I wanted to write again :)<br />
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Needless to say, I am excited to be back- we will see how frequently I can get on and actually write because I will become a hermit this coming semester, but Hey! let's test it out...<br />
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This is something I wrote and realized the other day- it is more for a friend (really two friends) but why not share it without getting specific-<br />
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Because God knows and understands ALL and ALL about </div>
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where you are: in life; in thoughts, etc. we are led to a place</div>
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in Him at times where He literally wants us to just ask</div>
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questions and submit to Him in that way. You are learning about</div>
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patience and submission- He is NOT silent, but He IS listening</div>
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to you patiently with ALL understanding of ALL of your questions. </div>
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He is not ready to answer your cry yet, BUT when He does, </div>
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it will be bold and strong, maybe even loud. You will know and at that </div>
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time your response will be repentance, surrender, and praise to Him.</div>
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Rest in that- you don't NEED to understand it. </div>
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-EGD 1-6-13</div>
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<i>Praying and Believing God for BIG things this year</i></div>
Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-75930222387451400922012-08-07T13:27:00.000-07:002012-08-07T13:27:17.804-07:00{I gotta feelin'}You know that feeling that you get in your stomach when something big is happening in your life? I can actually say that I have had that feeling all week so far...and it is exhausting! (In a good way) This week bring a lot of change for me- being accepted to Seminary, training once again (finally), registering for classes without an advisor to literally walk me through, buying my textbooks, and so much more.<br />
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There is a smile on my face, that is for certain. There is also a pit in my stomach...a pit of uncertainty, of "is this really happening???"<br />
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I can laugh about it and then move on...scripture tells me- </div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Have I not commanded you? </span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-5861A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Be strong and courageous. </span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-5861B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the </span><span class="small-caps" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">do not be anxious about anything, </span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29432B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">but in everything by prayer and supplication </span><sup class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29432C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philippians 4:6</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I can rest in this...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm just saying...my mind is on overload! haha </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lord, my goodness, my emotions are like a bouncy ball in a room with nothing in it but walls. I am on my knees in adoration of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for choosing me to be yours and igniting a passion within my heart to serve you in a mighty way. I pray so desperately that YOU be glorified!</span></div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-89428473765663209342012-08-02T10:25:00.001-07:002012-08-02T10:25:19.611-07:00{At times I laugh}<div style="text-align: center;">
At times I laugh, </div>
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At times I cry, </div>
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At times I wonder why...</div>
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This time was a duel, </div>
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I almost felt like a fool, </div>
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until the peace came I felt like a mule. </div>
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The confusion set in, </div>
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quick doubts ran rampant,</div>
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then the peace settled in. </div>
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When the peace came in, </div>
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The smile of a perm-a-grin, </div>
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I was able to breathe and take it in. </div>
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Thankful- eucharisto </div>
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Yesterday, was a day I will remember. It is marked on my thankful wall and written on my facebook wall. (Ok enough with the rhyming). Yesterday, around 10am I was accepted into the Master's program of Women's Leadership with a Minor in Biblical Counseling at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for the start of the fall semester. If you would have asked me a year ago what I was going to do, I would have gotten pretty frustrated with you and probably told you that I was going to go into Physician Assistant program around this area.<br />
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It couldn't be more different than that, and I could not be more excited about this chapter. Yes, it is going to be difficult, it is going to stretch me to incredible limits, it is going to change me as an individual in all areas, and the best thing is that however long this takes me to complete- I get to spend this time being extremely intentional learning about my God in a way I have not been able to before! When knowledge and wisdom increase, intimacy increases-therefore, I get to fall more in love with my Savior.<br />
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My goodness, my trust is in the Lord. I need His strength, peace, and mercy...and His affirmation alone. Wow, God!<br />
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I am ready, I am saying yes, I am going, stepping and not stopping!<br />
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<br />Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-50381533134149146322012-07-03T14:12:00.003-07:002012-07-03T16:41:42.005-07:00{thoughts on Psalm 139:13-16}Now, don't get me wrong... I love reading through the Psalms and David's laments to the Lord. I love seeing and realizing that He is real, that he is human, that he struggled, and fought, tried to give up, fought some more and continued crying out. Throughout the book of Psalms we get 150 of these songs/laments mostly of David crying out, reaching out, and on his face before the Lord. Where are our modern day Davids'? Anyone else have that question????<br />
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So here goes, Psalm 139:13-16<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: #741b47;">[13] For you formed my inward parts;</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>you knitted me together in my mother's womb.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>[14] I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Wonderful are your works;</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>my soul knows it very well.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>[15] My frame was not hidden from you,</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>when I was being made in secret,</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>intricately woven in the depths of the earth.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>[16] Your eyes saw my unformed substance;</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>in your book were written, every one of them,</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>the days that were formed for me,</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>when as yet there was none of them.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #741b47;">(Psalm 139:13-16 ESV)</span></blockquote>
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Now, with all of this health stuff continuing, I would be lying if I told you I was not fighting with this truth....I have been upset, frustrated, emotionally drained and honestly exhausted of trying to understand where the Lord has me right now and why I am dealing with this. A friend pointed me to James 1:1-4 and I got angry...I didn't want to hear that I should be thankful for this trial I am enduring, but I read it and have been meditating on it. I have also been trying to be thankful and joyous through all of this.<br />
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For those of you who read this and aren't sure where I am coming from right now, I am working though more medical testing for a multitude of other symptoms I have been having. Specifically last week, we got news back that yes, everything pointed to one answer and if it was actually that diagnosis then things would really start looking up...I would be feeling better, etc. just by changing my diet, mostly. But, you guessed it...that diagnosis came back negative. I took the news in from the Dr. with a gulp and lump in my throat followed by many tears...but started reflecting on words I had just read the night before...<br />
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"Being thankful always precedes a miracle....<i>eucharisteo</i> meaning Thankful....have thanks and be thankful in everything, even in the mess"-Ann Voskamp (paraphrase and emphasis added from Me)</blockquote>
I start asking myself...how in the world can I be thankful in this...when there are no answers right now, when we have to start "searching" once again..hmmm Yet, scripture kept floating in my head. I flipped back to Psalm 139 and began reading. I stopped quickly faced with this reminder that God, MY MAKER, CREATOR, ALMIGHTY God formed me...He alone knitted me together...then it says, "I praise you...."<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">hold on a minute!!!!!!</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>I praise you....I praise the Lord...I praise the one who formed me...I praise the one who knew and knows what is going on in me...wait, what?!?! David says, "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" WHOA! My thoughts...can I actually say that I know that in my heart right now? Yes, I can absolutely say that I know this is truth, that is is active today as much as it was real and active for David, but my heart says, how can I be wonderfully made, when I am sick? When my body is killing itself?<br />
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There is a very special word used mostly throughout the Psalms...it is <i>Selah. </i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Now there is some debate on what it directly translates to but most scholars believe it means "to pause"; "to praise". I love this...it means...hold up a minute, what you just read was PROFOUND! Selah is not used in this Psalm, but I paused and tried to process what I was reading, what I know as truth and what my heart was telling me at that time...I was frustrated, yet I always come back to this...the day I found out about my tumor (which started all of this medical stuff) I prayed that morning in my time with the Lord that I would get to experience Him in a new way...I had never experienced Him as my healer. BOOM! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">So I continue reading...verse 15- when I was being made is secret, INTRICATELY woven in the depths of the earth...wow, I should catch that, should have more peace than even knowing that the Creator of the Universe, created me and formed me and breathed life into me... I should have peace that He clearly knows me and is aware of every sickness I will have... I desire so much glorify Him with everything I am. So I am saying this now and proclaiming it loud...My life, everything I am is in His hands (no where better to be)....I have peace that He is in control, He knows all diagnoses, He gives the Dr.'s the wisdom and knowledge and in His perfect timing and in His will I will be healed...yet I also recognize and believe that only if it is His will, I will be healed and yet I am absolutely called to glorify and make His name known in every season of my life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I pray daily that I will be in a place where I can serve Him to my greatest potential, that I will be in a place to glorify His name above every other name and that I would live and love in the center of His will. THANK YOU JESUS for this season...I love to live in the valley because there I am closest to my knees and bow out of adoration of you. </span><br />
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</blockquote>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-82998526381860312012012-06-28T15:04:00.001-07:002012-06-28T15:14:04.415-07:00{Things that put a smile on my face}If I am honest, this week has been one of the worst weeks I've had in a while...emotionally, physically, and spiritually. More medical issues arise and the frustration lies in having a multitude of symptoms that all point to one thing specifically and yet, the diagnosis of that one things that encapsulates all of those symptoms comes up negative...What the crap?!?! To say the least, it has been a couple days of tears, frustration, confusion, and hopelessness. I know that all sounds horrible, BUT I am just stating how I feel, the facts...I can't even lead you to think that I have it all together in anyway, bc that is extremely far from the truth. I write about this, not so you feel bad...really, I write to try and clear my head, to get it all out, and maybe one day I can help someone else go through something similar- which I earnestly pray no one has to go through this...I was thinking as I am sitting here scrolling through pinterest :) follow me <span style="color: #e69138;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/eringari9/" target="_blank">http://pinterest.com/eringari9/</a> </span>if you would like...anyway, I was thinking about my attitude and thoughts...how depressing and bland they are and decided to post about things I am loving right now...to give me a smile.<br />
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Here Goes....</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_8lMQQBOm9zvo589SX897zlhXfRkv1HwjbsD8gFuMBqltxvQu6kkyWo8K_gDT26hJTVvfluWuN23FmodGO1WcpfO_VxyKaNYr4ofUHTNqzLgVrI1zfz4uIhfdUSteQbTyWvKd76y_ys/s400/2278867963_d91fecc104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_8lMQQBOm9zvo589SX897zlhXfRkv1HwjbsD8gFuMBqltxvQu6kkyWo8K_gDT26hJTVvfluWuN23FmodGO1WcpfO_VxyKaNYr4ofUHTNqzLgVrI1zfz4uIhfdUSteQbTyWvKd76y_ys/s200/2278867963_d91fecc104.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am loving the color....MUSTARD YELLOW </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't really know why this obsession started, but it is clear and if you talk to me in person for more than a couple minutes you would know it. I think some of my friends get annoyed when they hear..."Ohhh, it's <span style="color: #bf9000;">mustard yellow</span>!"</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Panera's Green Tea -it is so stinking gooood!</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">Pinterest...</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">now I know this is on about 99% of women's favorite pages, but seriously...THE best idea ever! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"> -</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">Go </span><span style="color: #e69138;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/eringari9/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;">to follow me</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My Bible...</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">beyond thankful to be able to freely and openly read scripture wherever and whenever I want. I love flipping through the pages and reading the commentary I have written and what I have been taught...loving that the Lord is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent! His word is <span style="color: purple;">living</span> and <span style="color: purple;">active</span>!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The song: <span style="color: #0b5394;">Always by Kristian Stanfill</span></span></li>
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6. <span style="color: #783f04;">Quinoa</span>- if you are not familiar with this grain....you need to be!</div>
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7. Psalm 90:14 "<span style="background-color: white;">Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."</div>
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(Psalm 90:14 ESV)</div>
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8. Journaling- <span style="color: #c27ba0;">I love being about to write and write and write some more...how refreshing!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0;"> </span>9. Instagram :) ohhhh it is so much fun!!!!!! I love photography</div>
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10. <span style="color: #f1c232;">Lemons </span>and <span style="color: lime;">Limes </span>I can't get enough....weird, I am well aware</div>
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I think that is enough for now... reply and tell me some things that are making you smile today. I would really love to read!!!! </div>
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Oh and one more...</div>
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You know there is a problem when your Dr. orders you to get some sun exposure :) No problemo with me!!!!!</div>
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Ok, but really write me back and tell me what you are loving!</div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-60408538869748223602012-06-20T14:21:00.000-07:002012-06-20T14:21:46.331-07:00{reason to sing}<br />
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When the pieces seem to shatter<br />To gather off the floor<br />And all that seems to matter<br />Is that I don’t feel you anymore<br />No I don’t feel you anymore</div>
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I need a reason to sing<br />I need a reason to sing<br />I need to know that You’re still holding<br />The whole world in Your hands<br />I need a reason to sing</div>
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When I’m overcome by fear<br />And I hate everything I know<br />If this waiting lasts forever<br />I’m afraid I might let go<br />I’m afraid I might let go<br />Oh Oh Oh</div>
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I need a reason to sing<br />I need a reason to sing<br />I need to know that You’re still holding<br />The whole world in Your hands<br />I need a reason to sing</div>
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Yeah</div>
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Will there be a victory<br />Will You sing it over me now<br />Oh<br />Your peace is the melody<br />You sing it over me now<br />Oh Lord<br />Will there be a victory<br />Will You sing it over me now<br />Oh Lord<br />Your peace is the melody<br />You sing it over me now</div>
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I need a reason to sing<br />I need a reason to sing<br />I need to know that You’re still holding<br />The whole world in Your hands<br />That is a reason to sing</div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-22939441551284440322012-06-17T10:02:00.001-07:002012-06-17T10:02:45.864-07:00{For Father's Day and everyday}On Mother's day I wrote a poem for Mom, but today I wanted to do something different. I am going to do a list of 10 things I love about my Fajah :) So, here goes (In no particular order):<br />
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1.<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="color: #0b5394;">He recognizes when I: cut my hair, put on make-up, and/or dress up </span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"> - Dad always takes the time to compliment me when I do something a little different. He loves my hair short (which I don't prefer), notices when I put on jewelry and/or make-up, and every time I wear more than sports clothes or jeans and a shirt- He tells me I am beautiful! So special...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">2. <span style="color: #0b5394;">He finds different ways to encourage me</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>- He knows kind words go a long way and understands that even a hug speaks huge measures</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">3. <span style="color: #0b5394;">Tells me he loves me at least once a day</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>- I am so spoiled with this relationship I have with my Dad. Even when things are a little frustrating and I am being irritable, He looks beyond that and says those three words...143</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">4. <span style="color: #0b5394;">Dad gives THE best hugs</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>- You know the hug I am talking about...it's the hug where you can put your head on his chest and it fits just perfectly...it's the hug where you know nothing can separate it...the hug where you feel safe...yep, that hug :)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">5. <span style="color: #0b5394;">Watches and sometimes enjoys movies he wouldn't normally watch</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>-Yes, I am mostly talking about those wonderful chick flicks...but, we also love a great comedy...Mrs. Doubtfire is one of our old time favorties...He does AWESOME impressions too..."Heeellllloooooooo, my precious" </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">6. <span style="color: #0b5394;">Loves sports</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>-We love watching sports together...even if we like rival teams :) He brought me up a Yankee and a Florida Gator...now his team is the Rays....it makes for fun competition</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">7. <span style="color: #0b5394;">Is my BIGGEST fan</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>-In everything I do whether sports, school, speaking, etc. He shows me more support than I deserve. </span><br />
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8. <span style="color: #0b5394;">He WANTS to spend time with me</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>-I am so thankful to have a father that desires to have a good relationship with me. He wants to know what is going on in my life and whether He thinks I am making a good or unsure decision, He is there to support me and encourage me through.<br />
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9. <span style="color: #0b5394;">He is a great example of a Father, Husband, and Best Friend</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>-I tell Dad pretty much every Father's Day that I desire to marry someone who has similar characteristics, personality, and love that He shows all the time. Having the example of my parents marriage is one of the things in my life I am incredibly thankful for. They enjoy each other so much...I hope one day I can like someone as much as I love someone, like they do.<br />
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10. <span style="color: #0b5394;">He is not always so serious</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>-One thing I will always remember is to have fun...Dad makes this a part of every single day, even when he is hurting, sick, or stressed. We have jokes that only he and I know...He has taught me about sarcasm and shows it daily :)<br />
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I love my Dad</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Two of my Favorite People (Fajah and Poppa) </span></div>
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<br /></div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-55541076875108681812012-06-14T14:49:00.000-07:002012-06-14T14:49:01.954-07:00flashbackRecently I have been reminiscing an awful lot about my time with my Grandpa (Poppa). We had such a special relationship and I miss him dearly...this is a post I found today that I wrote exactly 1 day after he passed away...<br />
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<span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oh my where to begin...I guess saying it is finally Erin is a good start :)</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Yes, I am the "teacher" and crazy addicted to sports and pretty much any athletic "thing"I can get my hand on...Kristin did such a nice job introducing the three of us, but I want to be sure to state that she is awesome! So is Suz, no doubt! I feel so honored to live life with these two girls. Like Kristin said, we met in college and have continued a friendship ever since with the roller coaster inside each I am sure...Anyway-</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I have to be ridiculously honest right now and tell you that I am hurting more than I ever have. KT said that I could say everything I was feeling because no one reads this anyway and then says...you never know, it may help someone...HA she makes me laugh!</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So, just to put you into perspective, My sweet Poppa passed away last night exactly 24 hours from when I am typing this (WEIRD!!!!!), anyway, he is the only Grandpa I have ever had and I was so close to him. This is also the first death of the family which makes this ever so confusing and painful for me. He leaves behind so much family and so many amazing memories. But there is something so much more in is precious life we were so blessed to share with him- stay with me here, my mind is going in all sorts of directions...</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">KT told you (whoever YOU are) that we have been studying the "love" chapter...1 Corinthians 13. I think I can speak for us all and say that we have been constantly dumbfounded maybe a better word would be wrecked by this piece of scripture. It has a world of meaning behind it and the Lord has been so sweet as to share another meaning of Love with us. As we have been walking through verse after verse we are continually reminded that love is a choice, it is so much more than an emotion, it is a lifestyle, an understanding, a trust, gosh I could go on forever....but LOVE can be defined and understood in sooooo many ways...</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">From this past week with Thanksgiving in between I cannot even begin to explain the emotions running through my head...spending this last holiday with my Poppa was one I will never forget. But, I have a question for you......What does love mean to you? ........think about it, it is not an easy answer.....The Lord has shown me love in such a new way in the past couple hours.</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I want to share a picture with you that I took just days ago... (my Grandpa holding my Grandmas hand)</span><br />
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<br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Now easily this could be just a picture, and to you it probably is...who am I kidding, but can't this be an amazing picture of love? Sure my Grandparents had arguments and bickered, but my goodness they were married for 63 years!!!!!! Talk about love never ending, being patient, not being envied, but being joyful...I asked my Poppa the other day, just this past Wednesday what his favorite memory was...without having to think more than 5 seconds he said, the day I married your Grandmother. Precious....but how much more exciting would it have been if he said, the day I accepted Jesus? Now, I will tell you that he definitely knew God, but I will also tell you that I am pretty sure the relationship Jesus so graciously offers was not taken from my Poppa. Saturday evening I had the opportunity to hold my Poppa's hand for a good 45 minutes and I sat and told him everything about my Jesus that I could. While looking at my Poppa and praying for him, crying out for him for peace and comfort, I was so incredibly convicted...convicted because I hadn't really taken the opportunity until that point to literally talk to him about what I hold highest in my life (so I say). Yes, actions speak louder than words, and he knew that I was a believer and held my relationship with Jesus very high in my life, but if I am truly IN LOVE, passionate, and following Jesus this shouldn't have been the first time I was vocalizing my faith. I don't know what my Poppa heard when I was telling him about the greatest gift ever and about the transformation of my life, but I do believe I did what we are so called to do, I shared Jesus with him...the important part for me to understand and believe is that, I do not hold his salvation in my hands, I have no saving power (thank goodness, right!) but seriously....it was amazing! I felt ridiculously silly talking and crying to my big gentle giant of a grandpa sleeping with oxygen pumping constantly, but I shared the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life. Enough said.</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">As I was getting ready to drive home that night, one of my Aunts asked me to pray with her....quickly I responded "Absolutely" and walked outside holding her hand and prayed...prayed some more and then ended giving my Poppa to Jesus. She looked at me and said, "Erin, I find so much strength in you", quickly I corrected her and said, "I get it all from Jesus, so rest in that" and her response was one I will never ever forget...."Well, this Jesus is changing lives in this family".</span><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #07232a; color: #bbbbbb; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And this is where I will end.</span>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-9867199274792718192012-05-17T19:50:00.001-07:002012-05-19T15:16:34.925-07:00{Testimony}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I wanted to take some time to clarify some major points of my story. I became very hesitant after I posted this about how you may take some points I made about growing up specifically. I hope you get to read this before you click 'play' because this is very important to me. Growing up was great! I had my parents to myself (other than their work) because my half-brother did not live with us, so I had so much attention it was ridiculous. I absolutely love that I was not forced into an "organized religion" and that it was literally a tug from the Lord that brought me to my knees in surrender to Him. I believe everyone, even if your Father is a Pastor and Mother is a Women's Director in a church that you ultimately choose your faith, after God has chosen you! Like I say in the video, I am so incredibly grateful for my parents, for the values and characteristics they instilled in me and for the woman they have brought me up to be. They are both amazing people, both as a couple and as individuals and I think everyone should get to know them. My heart so beats for them, gosh I love them so much! I also want to make this clear...in the way I was brought up with the sports I played, activities I was involved in, etc. so many characteristics were taught: loyalty, respect, love, fight, work ethic, team work, honesty...I could go on for a long time. But, here's the deal...what I said is true, it is true to the core of me and if it is truth I will not stray away from it. I am so thankful, please hear my heart. </div>
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This is my testimony that I was asked to give at the young adult ministry I attend. We are in the middle of a series called Sovereignty plus Grace equals ENOUGH. </div>
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Thanks for taking the time to watch :) I pray that it blesses you in some way</div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-68611027543288058022012-05-13T15:04:00.003-07:002012-05-13T15:04:57.729-07:00{Mother's Day}<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">My Mom is da bomb, </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">she knows how it's sung.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Willing and able, she shows </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">how it's done. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Her heart pours out over </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">and over till it's wrung. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Yet, she keeps it going</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">like nothings wrong. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Mom is cool. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">She went to school. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Married my Dad and<br />that was no duel.<br />I'm blessed to call her Mom,<br />while we all sing her a song...<br />she is most of all, my stinkin mom!<br /><br />I love you Mom!</span></div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-40274991822145516042012-05-07T13:49:00.002-07:002012-05-07T13:49:55.025-07:00{Psalm 130}<div style="text-align: center;">
Last week sometime I was asked a pretty challenging question...</div>
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Let me start by giving you some background. I serve on the Creative Team for Impact, the college/young adult ministry that I attend and serve at. The Creative Team is a group of individuals that we feel has creative ideas and biblical input to challenge each other and pinpoint what it is that Impact as a ministry and the people that attend need to be challenged with. We have been praying about and forming the mission statement and heartbeat of this group and desperately trying to be and stay in the center of God's will for this ministry. We think/pray about the teaching, challenges, creative aspects (logos, stage elements, leadership, etc) and responsibilities. </div>
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Now that I got all of that out I can move forward. Each person on the team was asked to <span style="color: #741b47;">bring a Psalm of your choosing that has challenged you the most and means something to you...be ready to explain it and why it is important to you. </span>I would go to the extent to say that most Christians and even individuals who are not believers read Psalms more than any other book of the Bible. I may be wrong on that, but I would venture to say that I am probably right. I think many people can or try to relate to the crying out of mostly David, not even realizing the place and the destruction in his heart when writing most of these laments. They at times give hope, peace, understanding, and nurturement (I know that's not a word, but work with me here :) ). I knew most of the people in the group, keep in mind there are only 7 of us...would probably come with well known Psalms...for example, 139, 37, 23, etc. There is no problem with that at all, but I wanted to challenge myself...</div>
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You have probably guessed by now, but the Psalm I chose was, Psalm 130... I'll put it in here so you don't have to pull out your Bible....(horrible I know, asking you to open that...whew) Please read my sarcasm there...</div>
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Psalm 130</h3>
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English Standard Version (ESV)</div>
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<span class="text Ps-130-1" id="en-ESV-16142"><span style="color: #bf9000;">My Soul Waits for the Lord</span></span></h3>
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<span class="text Ps-130-1"><span style="color: #bf9000;">A Song of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16142A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>Ascents.</span></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="chapter-3" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Ps-130-1" style="position: relative;"><span class="chapternum" style="bottom: 0.1em; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: bold; left: -3em; line-height: 0.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center;">130 </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;">Out of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16142B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>the depths I cry to you, O <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="indent-1" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Ps-130-2" id="en-ESV-16143" style="position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">2 </sup><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">O Lord, hear my voice!</span></div>
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Let your ears be attentive</div>
<sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16143C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-2" style="font-size: 16px; position: relative;">to <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16143D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>the voice of my pleas for mercy!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="text Ps-130-3" id="en-ESV-16144" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">3 </sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;">If you, O <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, should <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16144E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>mark iniquities,</span></div>
<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="indent-1" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-3" style="position: relative;">O Lord, who could <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16144F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>stand?</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-130-4" id="en-ESV-16145" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">4 </sup><div style="text-align: center;">
But with you there is <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16145G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>forgiveness,</div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-4" style="position: relative;"> <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16145H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>that you may be feared.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="text Ps-130-5" id="en-ESV-16146" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">5 </sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;">I <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16146I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>wait for the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16146J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup>my soul waits,</span></div>
<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="indent-1" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-5" style="position: relative;">and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16146K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup>in his word I hope;</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-130-6" id="en-ESV-16147" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">6 </sup><div style="text-align: center;">
my soul <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16147L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>waits for the Lord</div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-6" style="position: relative;">more than <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16147M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>watchmen for <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16147N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>the morning,</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-6" style="position: relative;">more than watchmen for the morning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="text Ps-130-7" id="en-ESV-16148" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">7 </sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #bf9000;">O Israel, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16148O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>hope in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>!</span></div>
<span style="color: #bf9000;"><span class="indent-1" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-7" style="position: relative;">For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16148P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>with the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> there is steadfast love,</span></div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Ps-130-7" style="position: relative;">and with him is plentiful redemption.</span></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-130-8" id="en-ESV-16149" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; position: relative;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-size: 0.75em; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;">8 </sup><div style="text-align: center;">
And he will <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-16149Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>redeem Israel</div>
</span></span><span class="indent-1"><div style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"> </span></span><span class="text Ps-130-8" style="position: relative;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">from all his iniquities.</span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-130-8" style="position: relative;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Oh, goodness...where do I even start! My heart is so, right there...I want to you get something from this..I want you to desperately grasp the fact that...are you ready for this???? <span style="color: #741b47;">Even in our deepest pit we can cry out to God and be heard! </span>Profound, right? Ha ha now it may not be very profound to you, but this wrecked me, yes in a good way. </div>
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Keep in mind...We do not know the writer of Psalm 130</div>
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Here we see expressed: </div>
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<ul>
<li>His desires</li>
<li>His repentance before God</li>
<li>His attendance upon God</li>
<li>His expectations of God</li>
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Get this, "We are taught to humble ourselves before God, before the justice of God guilty in His sight" -Matthew Henry</div>
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I venture to say that you, whomever you are, you have probably at some point felt like you were in a similar place to the writer. That when he says, <span style="color: #bf9000;">out of the depths </span>you grasp that... it hits you in your heart...I can say that I have been there, probably not to that extent, lets be real, but in my darkest deepest pit, lets just say...my thought was, "I feel ya!". </div>
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I'm very curious to know your answer to the question I was challenged with...<span style="color: #741b47;">bring a Psalm of your choosing that has challenged you the most and means something to you...be ready to explain it and why it is important to you. </span>Will you write me back and share? Don't feel like you have to go into depth, but I would love to know your heart.... </div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></div>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-4080968090854485522012-05-04T11:28:00.001-07:002012-05-04T11:28:07.949-07:00{Tozer}A friend recently sent me this site from his new software: logos. It is a great tool as a Scholar to use to be well equipped for teaching, etc. I have read some of A.W. Tozer's work and thoughts before, but this page was overwhelming with quotes from some of his books...I challenge you to take a look at this and really reflect on it...mind-blowing stuff, I tell ya!<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.blog.logos.com/wp-content/uploads/220px-A_W_Tozer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.blog.logos.com/wp-content/uploads/220px-A_W_Tozer.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://blog.logos.com/2012/04/10-inspirational-a-w-tozer-quotes/">A.W. Tozer quotes</a> <br />
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<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: myriad-pro-1, myriad-pro-2, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.logos.com/Products/search?Author=Tozer%2C%20A.%20W.&utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Aiden Wilson (A. W.) Tozer</a> was born in a small farming community in Western Pennsylvania on April 21, 115 years ago. His spiritual path opened up when, as a 15-year-old, Tozer responded to a street evangelist. Five years later, with no theological training, he began pastoring his first church.</div>
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Tozer spent the rest of his life as a pastor, rising to national prominence during his tenure at Southside Alliance Church, Chicago, IL (1928–1959). Tozer wrote the spiritual classic <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Pursuit of God</em> during his time in Chicago, and over his lifetime authored more than 40 books. His steadfast call to repentance and faith earned him the nickname “the 20th-century prophet.”</div>
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On May 12, 1963, he went to be with his Lord after suffering a heart attack. The epitaph on his tombstone simply reads: “A. W. Tozer—A Man of God.”</div>
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To celebrate this remarkable man of faith, I put together 10 of my favorite Tozer quotes:</div>
<ol style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: myriad-pro-1, myriad-pro-2, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 30px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I want the presence of God Himself, or I don’t want anything at all to do with religion. You would never get me interested in the old maids’ social club with a little bit of Christianity thrown in to give it respectability. I want all that God has, or I don’t want any.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4970/the-counselor?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Counselor</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I wonder also how many Christians in our day have truly and completely abandoned themselves to Jesus Christ as their Lord. We are very busy telling people to “accept Christ”—and that seems to be the only word we are using. We arrange a painless acceptance.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4967/who-put-jesus-on-the-cross?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Who Put Jesus on the Cross?</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The world lives in such a time of crisis. Christians alone are in a position to rescue the perishing. We dare not settle down to try to live as if things were normal.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4994/born-after-midnight?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Born After Midnight</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“But a lot of people have gone too far and have written books and poetry that gets everybody believing that God is so kind and loving and gentle. God is so kind that infinity won’t measure it. And God is so loving that He is immeasurably loving. But God is also holy and just.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4964/the-attributes-of-god-volume-one?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Attributes of God, Volume One</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I can only say, let us be tolerant wherever we can be, and let us be charitable toward all those we cannot tolerate. But let us not imagine for a minute that we are called upon to take a top-of-the-fence stand, never knowing exactly what we believe.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4986/faith-beyond-reason?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Faith Beyond Reason</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“It is a high Christian privilege to pray for one another within each local church body and then for other believers throughout the world. As a Christian minister, I have no right to preach to people I have not prayed for. That is my strong conviction.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4960/tragedy-in-the-church-the-missing-gifts?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tragedy in the Church: The Missing Gifts</em></a><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></em></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“In some circles, God has been abridged, reduced, modified, edited, changed and amended until He is no longer the God whom Isaiah saw, high and lifted up.”—</em>from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4972/whatever-happened-to-worship?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Whatever Happened to Worship?</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“No matter what the circumstances, we Christians should keep our heads. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind. It is a dismal thing to see a son of heaven cringe in terror before the sons of earth.”</em>—from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4971/the-warfare-of-the-spirit?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Warfare of the Spirit</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Rightly understood, faith is not a substitute for moral conduct but a means toward it. The tree does not serve in lieu of fruit but as an agent by which fruit is secured. Fruit, not trees, is the end God has in mind in yonder orchard; so Christ-like conduct is the end of Christian faith.”—</em>from <a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4976/the-size-of-the-soul?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Size of the Soul</em></a></li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-type: decimal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The only fear I have is to fear to get out of the will of God. Outside of the will of God, there’s nothing I want, and in the will of God there’s nothing I fear, for God has sworn to keep me in His will.”—</em>from <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.logos.com/product/4959/success-and-the-christian-the-cost-of-spiritual-maturity?utm_source=logostalk&utm_medium=blog&utm_content=textlink&utm_campaign=tozerbday" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #006cb5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Success and the Christian: The Cost of Spiritual Maturity</a></em></li>
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</ol>Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-73126670042728628012012-04-30T21:52:00.000-07:002012-04-30T21:52:20.863-07:00{post to a friend}you are on my mind,
what a good find.
In the middle of writing,
I couldn't stop biting,
the need to say hi,
exceeds the thinking good-bye.
Oh my, you might say fly,
but be sure, never high.
I laugh out loud,
it may seem proud.
I should really stop,
but there ain't no prop.
I don't even know why,
I guess I'm not shy.
To take up room on your page,
some may say, there is no gauge.
I'm becoming like my Dad,
I promise it's not a fad.
I could go on forever,
but I may never...get to sleep :/Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-37088619445941827552012-02-28T11:09:00.004-08:002012-02-28T11:46:42.383-08:00{my thoughts}This is a follow up of my last post about the age of the earth and the integrity of scripture depending on your view of that issue. The real question here is, Why does the Universe look so old? (article by Albert Mohler, www.icr.org/article/why-does-universe-look-so-old/) This is a great read and really backs up my view and has honestly helped me create my view as a believer in Christ. <br /><br />This may quite possibly be one of the biggest debated in the world today, not only by Christians but by atheist and others as well. Like Mohler states in his article, "Currently, the scientific consensus suggests the earth and our own solar system are approximately 4.5 billion years old. The age of the universe is now said to be about 13.5 billion years old, which is essentially a mathematical extrapolation of data from radiometric dating evidence, the estimated start of a Big Bang, and theories related to the expansion of the universe." <br /><br />And the views of many Christian's is that the earth and universe is very young, many say about 6,000 years old. My personal belief on this subject is that the earth is indeed young, which follows the teachings in Genesis following the 24-hour day with 7 days a week. It is a record of both creation and redemption and consummation, a final judgement. Therefore this shows not only the story of Adam and Eve, but also the fall. <br /><br />If you want to read more into each view I would strongly encourage you to read the article posted above by Mohler. He goes into great detail and explains very well both views. <br /><br />I know this is a very controversial subject, but it was something that I was challenged to look into, therefore I am challenging others :)Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-87541752232581921712012-01-29T18:38:00.000-08:002012-01-29T18:49:56.428-08:00{old or new}Over the past few weeks, I have been challenging myself to ask more questions, more probing questions. Whether they are silly little findings or contradictory debating questions. In my attempts to lessen assumptions and grow in knowledge, I am challenging myself. I kind of took this all a step farther and when I ask myself a question, I also ask a couple close friends. I want to see what they think and believe as well. I do, however, make sure to answer the question myself before I read any of their answers. <br /><br />Anyway, to get on with this whole post...my friend decided to ask me a question the other day and I'm not going to lie, it has taken my about 5 days to research and answer. He asked, "Is the earth old or new, and how does it affect the integrity of Scripture?"<br /><br />So, I know where I stand on this and I want to hear what you think...whoever you may be...challenge yourself :)Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-5357819679538315452011-12-24T11:02:00.000-08:002011-12-24T11:12:45.206-08:00{One Day}This is so exciting and I was talking to a friend the other day when she said, "I don't know if you are blogging any more, but you really need to write that down." So here goes, this is just a quick reminder of how great and powerful our God is...<br /><br />So the other day I was at my favorite coffee shop in town and I was reflecting on what the Lord has shown me in the past couple months and what I have been asking for that maybe he has not revealed to me quite yet. In that sweet moment I was journaling and thought, man I really need to hear a word from you right now Lord. My heart was heavy and thoughts were scrambled, but I knew one thing for sure was that I needed to hear from the Lord in his amazingly sweet voice. I asked one thing and that was to know that one day, just one day that I would feel normal again from all of this sickness. Believing that He could absolutely speak to me, I started my study for that day in a book that I am doing with my life group called, Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson. I remembering opening the study to where I left off and began reading. The story/scripture that I was looking at was when the Lord was leading Moses to the burning bush in Exodus. The scripture starts off reading, "ONE DAY"!!!!!! Ok Lord, I get it, I thought quickly....ONE DAY, that one day promise that I will feel better and normal again. This is the first time, other than my salvation that I have felt a real promise from the Lord directly relating to my life. How stinking cool is that!!!!!!!! <br /><br />Just wanted to share and maybe give hope to someone that is feeling similar to me :) Also, this song by Shane and Shane has been on my heart and giving me amazing hope the past couple days...<br /><br />MIracle by Shane and Shane<br /><br />Every week I hear a story of a miracle <br />And if I'm honest I'm tired of seeing none at all <br />I don't need to see a dead man come alive <br />All I want is You to fill me up inside <br /><br />I need You Lord <br />Even more than the air I breathe <br />I need You Lord <br />Right away <br />I need You Lord <br />Every minute of every day <br />I need You Lord <br />Right away <br /><br />Today I'm asking for a miracle <br />Anything you got God big or small <br />I don't need to see the cancer go away <br />All that I want is to know that it will be OK <br /><br />I need You, I need YouErin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-54226135925501923062011-09-27T13:28:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:37:34.791-07:00reality checkI know it has been awhile, but felt like writing...I have been feeling so different and abnormal lately and I kinda of somewhat need to write about everything I am learning and realizing. This past weekend I had the opportunity to go and visit some friends down in ft. myers and had a great encouraging talk with them, but had an amazingly difficult realization of where I am in life right now with emotions, thoughts, feelings, etc. I have been trapping myself in this world of comfort that when I try to venture from it, I become ridiculously anxious and uncomfortable....why? you may ask, I have no clue, but I have learned to make great excuses in my recovery. Now I know that at times I am hard on myself and yes, I do think and know that this is a time of recovery and rest for me, but I have become a different person. I am fearing, literally fearing almost every opportunity that arises. This is such an unhealthy place to be and one that many people get stuck in and that is another fear of mine. I don't want to be here forever, but the fear of thinking that I am never going to get better is out of control! I think really what I need to do and I know that I need to do this, is to surrender it all to the Lord and let Him control my thoughts and actions my fears and passions my everythings...(that could at some point turn into a song..haha) So I am going to stop typing right now and start praying to my awesome soverign God....would you join me in my prayer for healing? I would love and appreciate that!Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-70783759467784689972011-08-09T10:01:00.000-07:002011-08-09T10:17:11.766-07:00Oh, these times...Man, the past week has been so different and difficult for me. Where I am in my recovery is becoming so frustrating to me, not knowing and understanding what is going on with my body, feeling like I am not getting any better and just wanting my be in my bed because that is where I am comfortable. I know this is a lot to vent on, and I'm sorry if it feels like I am on a "whoa is me" kick, but I am just sharing what I am feeling right now.
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<br />When I go to the dr. almost everytime I am asked, "hey, so do you feel depressed"? and my response has consistently been, "no" yet I feel that, that is the only answer that I right as a "Christian" to give. I feel like depression is so looked down upon in our faith because we are to look to the Lord for our strength and joy and ultimately have full joy and satisfaction in the Lord, all the time through everything (yes, every trial and tribulation). I'm not saying that my response to dr.'s would be different if this wasn't the case, but boy do I feel the pressure from other believers to give the "right" answer.
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<br />I am continually striving to pursue the Lord and find my strength and peace in Him and Him alone, but the battle or wrestling is not always easy to do or find. Especially, when this feels not so much as an emotional discomfort if you will, but truly a physical exhaustion that I have never experienced before. Oh so frustrating it is!
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<br />I have recently been studying the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a prophet and a priest, who was ever so aware of God's presence and power. It is said that His vision of the valley of dry bones is a classic picture of God's ability to renew his people. In chap. 6 of this book he is speaking to the people of Israel and telling them about the word that came to him through the Lord. At least 4 times in this piece of scripture he ends a statement with "and you shall know that I am the Lord." This is just one prime example of what we should see as believers after and through every strife we go through, we should come out believing and saying "through this, I know that HE is Lord". Through our idols, strongholds, struggles, high places, etc. He will bring us to a place where we understand that "He is Lord"!
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<br />"Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!" Psalm 97:12Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3053120048870179962.post-80621722786482689072011-08-03T12:34:00.000-07:002011-08-03T12:38:56.212-07:00Norman AndersonIn a recent blog scroll I have been reading, I came across this lovely story of life and the meaning of it....wanted to share :) <br /><br /><a href="http://paper-angels.blogspot.com/"></a><br />Norman Anderson was a missionary for many years in the Moslem world. He was a recognised world expert in Islamic law and latter became the Director of the Advanced Legal Institute in London University. He was knighted by the Queen and became Sir Norman Anderson. Some of you may have also read the many books he wrote. But his personal life was full of tragedies. <br /><br />His eldest daughter served as missionary in Congo. She was raped by the rebellious soldiers and as she was recovered in America, she fell down the stairs accidentally and died. <br /><br />His second son also died in equally bizarre circumstances.<br /><br />His youngest son, a brilliant student, was admitted to Cambridge University. But at the age of 21, he died suddenly because of a brain tumour. <br /><br />Sir Norman is the modern day equivalent of Job, except, unlike Job, God did not even restore his family back to him in his lifetime. But his faith is anchored in eternity. <br /><br />Sir Norman, just before his death in his mid-eighties, was asked a question at one of his last public meetings: "When you look back over your life and reflect on the fact that you have lost all your three children, and now your wife of sixty years no longer recognises you, do you ever ask the question, "Why me?" " <br /><br />This was Sir Norman's response: "No, I've never asked the question, "Why me?" but I have asked the question, "Why not me?" I am not promised, simply because I am a Christian, that I will be delivered from all difficulties in this world. I am, however, promised that in the midst of difficulties, God through Christ will be present with me, and will give his grace to help me cope with the difficulties and bear witness to Him. After all, the stars shine brightest in the desert."Erin Garihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586667764902878581noreply@blogger.com0