On Storing Up

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

Matthew 6:19-21

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Every time I read this verse, the Spirit whispers:
Jessi, this is for you.

The truth is there aren't many tangible things I need.
Food. Water. Shelter. Clothing, Shoes... that's probably it.
But there are a billion and one things I want:
new clothes, new shoes, craft supplies, home decor,
new books, technological fancies, a new car,
better this, newer that ...

And for the past couple years
the Spirit has been waging a war against my inner greed.
Only the war is not really just about the greed.
It's not about the selfish desire of wanting more just for greed's sake.
It's about the fact that that greed is rooted in Discontentment.

And frankly, Discontentment has been that lingering zit
staring me in the face for the past two years
e-v-e-r-y time I look in the mirror.

As the Lord continues to fill my heart with Contentment,
I'm incredibly thankful
that this passage doesn't stop at verse 19.
This is not a passage just about putting off or about withholding.

It's also about storing up treasures
Treasures that will outlast this earth.
It's about cultivating relationships,
growing and maturing, walking with the Lord,
experiencing the Greatness, the Grace and the Gospel of God
and pocketing those pennies, so-to-speak.

So if that battle seems like a never-ending war to you too,
Take Heart.
Not only has Jesus Christ conquered sin,
but He is also revealing what is good and what is true.
Think upon those things
and store them up for life eternal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
or where your heart is,
there your treasure will also be.

Autumn Rains

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“Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful.
He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.”
Joel 2:23

I haven't studied the context of this verse at all.
I just think it's pretty
and perfect for the first day of fall.

Happy First Day of Fall, my friends!!

Girls Night In: Re-United

Girls Night In this month sure was something special.
Instead of some of the usuals (which we missed, of course!),
it turned out to be a divinely-appointed bible study girls reunion.

We enjoyed a yummy potluck
and conversations about what's new in each of our lives.

We celebrated Katie's sweet baby girl
who is due to arrive any day now,
Angie's first wedding anniversary,
Jenn's continued teaching job and house projects,
Joyce's excitingggg news,
and the way the Lord continues to use Jordanna
in a very practical and daily way.

These girls were part of a uniquely wonderful bible study
that played such an important role in my life last year.

I miss seeing their beautiful faces
and hearing their hearts each week,
but it was such a blessing to get to spend the evening together.

I love you, girls.


On the Menu:
Crispy Honey Chicken
Zucchini Orzo
Fresh Fruit Salad and Juicy Cherries
Chocolate-dipped Nilla Wafers and Milano Cookies
Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches with Cream Cheese Filling
and Strawberry Lemonade


PS: Did you know Katie can tie a knot
in a cherry stem
in about 2 seconds flat?
What. A. Stud.

a word for Friday

When I read this passage from Romans 15 this morning,
I was pretty sure that God had scheduled a divine appointment.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement
give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,
so that with one mind and one voice
you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Happy Friday, my friends.
This is my prayer for all of us.

Home Group

“Therefore confess your sins to each other
and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16

On Thursday night,
we gathered in Tara's living room.

Just the girls this week.

Four girls
all with seemingly different struggles.
Yet, as we shared,
we identified with one another.

We prayed for each other.
and we weren't alone.

Thankful.

Taxies

Happy Tax Day, Ladies and Gents![Sidenote: Three cheers for Tax Day!

This is a pretty happy day in our house,
because it means Busy Season is nearing its end!!]

But the real reason I even brought up Tax Day at all
is that I was reading Romans 13 the other morning
and I felt it rather applicable.

Romans 13 talks about submitting to the governing authorities
because there is no authority except that which God has established.

Verses 6 and 7 continue,
This is also why you pay taxes,
for the authorities are God's servants,
who give their full time to governing.
Give to everyone what you owe them:
If you owe taxes, pay taxes;
if revenue, then revenue;
if respect, then respect;
if honor, then honor.

Now I know this is a pretty controversial topic these days,
but it's also a good reminder to stop griping
about how the government takes half our paychecks.

[source]

Measuring Productivity

For this very reason,
[because God has called us and equipped us to participate in the divine nature]
make every effort to add to your faith goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control;
and to self-control, perseverance;
and to perseverance, godliness;
and to godliness, mutual affection;
and to mutual affection, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,
they will keep you from being
ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-- 2 Peter 1:5-8 --

As Jeremiah and I laid in bed Sunday evening,
I mentioned to him that our day felt terribly unproductive.
I had spent the day trying to alleviate my headache
by throwin' back the Advil, drinking buckets of water,
making sure to eat protein, and napping for 3+ hours.
The plans I had to pay the bills and finish cleaning the house
were replaced with a handful of TV movies
and a snuggle sesh on the couch.

Not surprisingly, Jeremiah gently reminded me
that productivity is not necessarily the measure of a good day.
Particularly of a good Sabbath.

And with my annoying perfectionist tendencies
and the oh-so-delightful (not!) fact
that my #1 StrengthsFinder trait is glaringly "Achiever,"
this is something I frequently need to be reminded of.

Fast forward to Monday morning
when I read from 2 Peter during my morning devotional.
I've prayed this passage before, a beautiful cry of the soul,
but verse eight, in particular, has been etched on my heart this week.

All the productivity in the world,
really doesn't matter much,
if I'm not productive and effective in my knowledge of the Lord.
If knowing and following the Lord does not grow
goodness, perseverance and the like,
how productive is that?

Instead of being overly concerned with
how many tasks I can check off the To Do list,
I'm reminded this week that my worth is in Jesus Christ.
And my "productivity," sotospeak, should instead be measured against
how well that Truth is evident in my life.

What an encouraging
and yet challenging reminder.

Creed

Be very careful, then, how you live
not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity
because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish,
but understand what the Lord's will is.
Do not get drunk on wine,
which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Speak to one another with Psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs.
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:15-20

I read this passage at least a dozen times last night.
It's highlighted, underlined, and almost bolded in my Bible.

For good reason.

These words are direct.
They are without-a-doubt.
They are a calling on my life.
They are my creed.

I pray that I may live this way.
For it is at the deepest desire of my heart.

Prez Weekend Highlights

A good conversation with a stranger at Starbucks
A successful spur-of-the-moment Target trip
Good conversation with a good friend
A new Pampered Chef pizza stone
Watching my roots return to blonde
Saturday afternoon Bible Study
Dinner and a movie with fun friends
Another free birthday drink at the bucks
Meeting new people at church
Family lunch at Phil's BBQ
Shopping with my sister
Pushing Daisies marathon
Presidents' Day
A sleep over with my seester
Hawaiian shaved ice
Wearing pajamas all day Monday

Three-Day Weekends are Bomb.com!

Love is...

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs

With Lover's Day coming up on Monday,
my verse-of-the-day came from 1 Corinthians 13 today.
No big shocker.

But as I read through the verse,
pausing where the good ol' fashion commas and periods are,
I heard myself filling the silence
with "I am not's" and things of the sort

Love is patient.
I am not.

Love is kind.
I am not.

It does not envy.
But I do.

After I had read through the entire verse,
I came to the pretty obvious conclusion that
I am not love.

Nor am I particularly good at loving.

Sometimes, for a second,
I think I may have a moment of greatness
A moment where I did not envy or I did not boast.
But then I am reminded
ever so gently (not!)
that I am not love.

God is Love.

And apart from Him,
I can do nothing.

This is the foundation of our Valentine's celebration this weekend.
It is a drawing nearer to the one who is Love
in hopes that we might love Him, each other, and all others better.

Happy Valentine's Day, my friends!

Golden Apples

My favorite high school Spanish teacher
a sweet Christian lady
with a heart for God's people.

Today, a post from her blog
reminded me of the power in words

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver
is a word spoken in right circumstances."
Proverbs 25:11

I'm frequently reminded of the importance to tame my tongue,
but today's reminder spoke not of the absence of harsh words,
but of the presence of kind words
words that are intentional and encouraging.
It reminded me of the calling to only speak words that make souls stronger.

Indeed her words were like apples of gold
in a settings of silver

For Adults and For Me

Last night,
my sweet friend E and I
browsed the aisles of Home Goods
after a tasty meal at The Brig
[ Perfect Date, I might add :) ]

As we strolled down the aisles
gazing at B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L things,
I mentally categorized everything:
"For Adults" or "For Me"

"One day, I'll decorate like an adult" I promised.
But each year, I get older and older
and my eye is still drawn to the more "childish" decorations.

I'd be the first one to tell you
that Shopping and Christianity are
Two. Very. Different. Things.

But when I read this passage during my morning devotional,
I was reminded that
we're not always called to be adults.

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'
He called a little child and had him stand among them.
And he said: 'I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck
and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'"
Matthew 18:1-6

A High Calling

These words out of James, were daggers to my heart this morning:

"If anyone considers himself religious
and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue,
he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress
and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

We have a high calling
To control our tongue,
To care for those who aren't cared for,
And to be distinctly different.

I pray that by the grace of God, I might live this way.

Thirst and Be Filled

What a verse for a Monday morning:

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 5:6

The Last Blog

So I read a lot of blogs.
And when I say "a lot,"
I mean roughly 130 as of today.

Consistently.

Waste of time, you might say.
I say no.
Inspiration.

But there's one tip,
that I thought I'd share
with my fellow blog-stalkers

And that is...

Subscribe to a daily Scripture verse.
Read all your other blogs first
And lastly,
read the daily passage of Scripture.

Meditate on it.
Pray through it.
And let that be what fills your mind
as you charge forth into the day.

It's made a world of difference in my life.

Saturday in Pictures

Studied 1 Timothy

and enjoyed a delicious omelet
with breakfast potatoes and watermelon

Relaxed poolside after a fresh mani-pedi

Ate ice cream cones at Seaport Village
with some of our favorite newlyweds

Watched the Pads shutout the Astros.
Thanks for the free tickets and Padres scarves, Joyce!


Yes, yes, I went to the bathroom
while the Pads scored the only run of the night. Lame!

And sipped Chai Tea Lattes
and enjoyed live music at Upstart Crow


Twas the loveliest of Saturdays!

In with the new

This verse spoke a lot of power into my life this morning:

'The time is coming,' declares the LORD,

'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers

when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,

because they broke my covenant,

though I was a husband to them, ' declares the LORD.

'This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,'

declares the LORD.

'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God, and they will be my people.

No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother,

saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest,' declares the LORD.

'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.'

Jeremiah 31:31

I am so thankful for the rich history of God's people.

I am so thankful for God's new covenant.

I am so thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And for the ability to know the Almighty.

God, You are so, so good.