Looking up

Shall we? We shall...

Decision making and community

I'm trying to make a very important decision...the decision whether or not to go to camp this year. I have til tommorow. As it stands I worked a lot this week a total of 36 hours in four days, I have the oppurtunity to go to camp next week. But if I do so I may lose the oppurtuniy to move up and get a better job either with Foley's or a better job with American Eagle.

Here's what I know, God blesses us when we serve him. So therefore I have no worries in deciding to go...

The problem in my mind lies in the fact that God is often silent on issues like these a lot more these days...and me being a person who has always heard God I really haven't had to lie on past experience, I lived carefree hearing God, doing what God told me to do. Now since he hasn't been doing that I am forced to rely on past experiences to tell me what to do. I must look back on all that I have learned and decide, walking blind!

I have decided that I am gonna go unless something happens, no matter what may happen and if I have to work forever in the position as an XOC I will. I know God will bless it though.

(period)

New Subject:

I was sitting on my lunch break today sitting at the food court of Park Meadows, a very long table, as I normally do sitting with all these people who I don't know. I was listening to these two business men talking, getting to know each other simply caring about each other it was really awesome.

I have been learning a lot about community as of late especially in the fact that a real church is one where people have a conversation, and guess what disagree. I think we are so scared to start anything in our churches in our homes in our workplaces. But I say to you real community is when people from all different places, all different walks of life all different shapes, sizes, and colors cometogether as one. Oneness is so beautiful!

Anyways that is a snapshot of some things I've learned this week gonna be gone at camp next week! I will talk to you all later. For Dusty sorry I am cancelling on our date, hopefull we can do something tommorow, as in Sat.

JG

I'm gonna sit down

I've been feeling something different over the past couple days! I can't really explain it...well I probably can. I have a job doing all sorts of stuff for Foleys, which for all the CALI people it is a department store. They are switching over to Macy's so if that gives you a reference. Anyways they have me working all these odd jobs, repricing, straightening up, working the floor occasionaly selling stuff, organizing, pricechecking all sorts of weird stuff moving tables decorating...it's really cool cause it gives me something to do during my day. Things are undoubtably busy now I am working for 10 hrs with a one hour lunch break for the past week. You get home and you are exhausted...but after a while you get used to it. And the odd thing is I feel better each day. The thing is I think I am relying on God's strength more and more each day to get me up and moving by 5:15 every morning and do pretty much meaningless things with my life. Perhaps I'm not leaning on God more, but it is good because it forces me to spend my day being productive. Today though I was driving home listening to old hymns and wow it was amazing. God and I time singing full voice with the windows down in the stormy afternoon. It was awesome. I truly feel like there is another break happening. And I feel there is understanding where there hasn't been any before. I don't know what that means exactley but simplicity is speaking complexly if you know what I mean. I kinda missed a lot of points in the basic tenants of christinaity, we all have, and that either refusal or ignorance caused me to blind.

I started on my second album today, it's actually coming along quite nicely, I think instead of singing for most of it it is just going to be spoken voice...because I think music has power but it is words that speak more than the singing it adds iceing but I think it distracts we'll see what happens but I have the cover song done it's called fading symphony. It's all about that in order for a crescendo to come things must first be quiet. In there is a story of Jesus but also a prayer that all of us might come to change the world and realize a crescendo is coming, and everlasting crescendo!

Beyond that I really haven't had much time to just sit down, write, be still you know all that stuff. I have so much floating in my head that to actually make any sense of it would take far more time of alone that I don't really have the time for now, but it is coming!

To own a dragon is amazing you should pick up a copy and read it, cause it is just that good. Buy a hymnal while you are at it, they are pretty good too!

Once again, I am staying up really late when I need to go to bed. I want to say a few things before I go though here are the lessons I have learned this week!

1. Jesus was amazing, he is amazing , and will always be amazing!
2. Deal with your circumstances, knowing that God has placed you in them, never go for the temporary go for the eternal!
3. Malls are silly places, but it's good that God is in all the people in a crazyness around me!
4. Living in America takes a lot of money to live, even more reason to go to Asia!
5. 99c items and 1.99c items go to Ross etc and that is how they get good clothes they bid on them in boxes, werid!
6. traffic isn't bad at all, why do people think it is so bad. I guess it goes back to #2
7. donald Miller is an awesome peson and I am so glad that God gave him alot of crap and he rose up out of that!
8. Express is having a 60% off sale
9. You don't have much free time when you have a job
10. My parents are truly awesome people.
11. I've also learned a whole bunch of God things this week but those are for later blogs!
12. taxes take out a large chunck of your paycheck, but hey you get it when you least expect it!
13. Once again God is awesome, today, yesterday forever
14 And most important the Holy spirit that lives inside of me, is awesome
15 Devotionals are important
16 people don't want to cook when they are tired
17.yah I need to go to bed night!

When I was blind
I saw this line
Between bad and good
and this blurry kind

gathering pacing in my mind
a fading syphony
to softest music
kept coming yet not yet breaking

yet the crescendo was coming
this is that fading symphony

Eventually I will see
The very plans you have
And how I wait to see

Through him you will change the world
Through him you will show them peace
Through him you will

You will show the crescendo coming

The fading symphony
The softest notes of melody
Hope that is from thee

You will show the crescendo coming

Through him you will
You will change the world
You will show them peace

And he will be free

JG

Elephants & Work

It's odd the fact that I am working so much this week, that I really don't have a spare moment to sit and blog...sad but I'm sure purposeful. Anyways I had my first day of real work today, it was fun! I know that sounds weird but I get paid to do the things I love to do...

1. help people
2. be freakishly organized
3. Move around things

Anyways about the elephants, my most prized possesion is a rosewood elephant that my dad got me while he was in India. And if you know me you know that I am in love with Elephants, I should change my blog title. Anyways though, I am reading this book with my best friend and its so good we are going to probably read it straight through it's called to own a dragon by Donald Milller( so good) Anyways though he has this story in there about elephants and how if an elephant does not have someone to lead him along mentor him in elephant ways the elephant ends up stabbing rhinos and going crazy. But that stage only lasts for like a week in other elephants if they find a mentor etc...anyways back to the prized possesion I think it is cool that i have mentors now in my life that teach me wise ways and they lead me. There is a second elephant I bought and it's cool cause the stone elephant I bought is smaller than the rosewood elephant and they go together perfectly walking side by side. They younger elephant(the stone one) may be stronger but the stone one is more fragile it's a really sweet analogy I think I am going to write a poem about it sometime!

That's all the time I have time for hopefully tommorow will be better w, more me jabbing on about life but hey it's what I do!

JG

Windfall

How can I begin to describe
I am a mere scribe
to the workings of my God

How can I begin to comprehend
the people he has sent
to do all these things

How can I begin,how can I begin
to tell of all he has done
and all the things to come

winter had past, and spring is to come
In this quiet,this windfall
time had begun, a new fall

So I got this fortune cookie while I was at PF Changs the other day it said you are soon to experience an unexpected windfall. I was like hey what the heck is a windfall and I could probably right a poem about it oh wait I did how the wind often times gets rid of one stage of growth like in the fall and moves us to a place of winter away from new growth but it is a time of preparing etc blah blah blah...

But I have been realizing one thing about that word and all it's implications.

Elise and I always seem to manage to find our inspirtation for our blogs in the same book of the bible, I doin't believe this to be mere coincidence. She wrote in her last blog about there being a season for everything it is so true there is a season because God is not a God who chooses to breath in one place, he breathes on dry bones as Ezekial talks about, he is breathing everywhere we merely need to listen to this beautiful harmonium of the heavens. He is breathing in every season just like the wind, and although this is fall for me and i am going through a transition, the foresight of winter coming, it is beautiful. Oh and Spring!

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from
embracing;
6 a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
10 ¶ I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out
the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God
doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

I want to focus on verse 14 and 15 for a while trust me this might be a long one because one verse in this wonderful book known as the bible a man could spend his entire life on one verse and never know all that it contains it's simply beautiful ...I have been focusing on fear and my lack of it the last blog or so, and do I think it coincidence that tonight when God reminded me of that fortune that he eventually bring me to this passage,trust me there is way to much coincidence to be mere chance, it is divinity at work. From speaking through squirrels to the last leaf clinging to a tree to a fortune cookie God has his hand in it all.

I know this much that God if he is going to go something it is going to be eternal not in our timing, we have no say in changing the outcome but are mere vessels of facilitating it, and this is why we fear! God is a God of infitude, who has the ability to take away everything at a moments notice and yet has enough divine wisdom to keep his plan intact, we are not even worthy of being called pawns! God is good but he will take care that our hearts our being shaped properly if we truly desire that, he is o so powerful, and he is not tame. He is my God whom I serve, and whom I should serve alone. We worship Him because he is worthy to be worshipped not because he has done stuff for us, he is God free will aside and even free will in the picture we will all kneel and we should fear the fact that God is a God so vast and so hugely different than anything we could even possibly comprehend and when we sin we will have to know that the reason we are allowed to go is because the very man that sits at the right hand of God the Father deciding in his grace to set us free from our enemy.

We are free, we must act in accordance with that!

seasons change, and time flows by
A mighty river I have seen in my eye
Of saints in royal robe enthroned,
and grace in infinite number bestowed

I am a mere scribe
to these things I describe
to the workings of my God

This windfall that I see...it is pure beauty it is the beauty in the gray the thing that is not tangible yet is and can not be seen but the effects can! I see God working and am finally content I hope in the fact that this is where I need to be and will starting acting in accordance to the new! That is what I hope to behold in the view to which I persue.

JG

Vanity of Vanities

I have had a problem that has been developing for a while, I have everything! My life is one of pure blessing as I see it.Believe it or not that is a problem. I am called to fear God but all I see him as is a God who bestowes his richest blessing upon me. I pray he would get me to surrender wholly each day but is that the path of blessing I wonder? All I have known Him as is a God who loves, how can I get a God of wrath into my mind when I see God working in every facet of creation and his plan pretty fully most of the time. I understand that God is a God who has infinite character and each aspect of that but I see the next step in my walk as fear and because that is such a radically foreign concept for me it is going to take some reworking of this heart and mind.

I don't really know where to begin other than with the words that Solomon wrote when he was king. In Ecclesiastes he had everything anyone would desire and he had wisdom also but it caused him to look at the world and say" vanity of vanities" to everything he saw. I look around me and feel a lot the same way it only takes me about a week of being back home to be so depressed with the lack of movement here that I coup up in my room trying to pray to the end that there would be movement again, yet that often is to no avail because of the whole free will aspect, that kinda pisses me off. It won't stop me from praying but I am frustrated. Who knows maybe it is out of pride that I speak wanting a change so I can brag about my God and how he used me but the thing is I am only a vessel I am not the hand that moves the vessel. The spirit is that hand!

Back to the fear aspect, that is one of the roots of the problem. I see God working in everything and there is no place where I do not see His hand in and that causes me to beleive that we really don't have any power at all and really shouldn't take initative. I think it is probably more so than most people think but I am way on the otherside of things in that and I wonder is that wrong? When do we know we need to take intitative when the spirit prompts us and we get butterflies? I don't know I know when the spirit has prompted me and I act in accordance with that . I think we should probably do a little more of just listening for the spirit's prompting rather than rushing to do all these things. But like the one thing that my best friend in SLO has taught me don't do something to do it, do something because it actually does count and matter. What matters and counts are two things "the word of God" and "the" souls of men. One must ask themself the question did I spend my day today on both of those. As of late and in this place I am unable easily to do that, that troubles me and pisses me off. I am putting things in motion so I can, but it upsets me greatly that this is not and enviroment where that is easy to do.

I long so desperatly to just have a conversatioin that means something that helps someone and allows them to see the face of God shining whether through me or His word. This place is blessed don't get me wrong I just wish for it's sake it would be more!

JG

Silence

I have had a lot of time to be quiet over the past couple days, to sit in quiet reflection of the wonders in which God has showcased and to finally I think begin a process of preperation for the things that are coming next year!

It's so interesting in this place of my childhood, realizing how incredibly blessed I am in the place God has put me in. I have looked back on my journal entries and I want to say something that I realized God is good!!! He is so good! I look at the pictures look at the incredible wisdom God has graced me with this year and my heart can't help but be warmed.


Feather of dove
Feather of light
Lovely embrace pure delight
Falling from heaven above

Prism of every shade all of them grey
Walking blind in this new day

Feather of crow
Feather of the night
memories of dark fright
weed from the ground below

And grey the color of this song
Blurry line back and white to which we belong
like a babe,carried along

Feather of an Angel
feather of awe
The things you saw
Eyes that have seen it all

Prism of every shade all of them grey
Walking blind in this new day

Feather like a tear
trickling down
rippling to the ground
Spashing, releasing my fear

JG

Prophecy of the deaf

I walk forward, into this darkness
I find myself blind,
But I trust

And embracing this silence
The prophecy of the deaf
The difference in things

There lies a grey beauty

The sound of silence
Different yet so amazing
Peaceful, yet so unsettling

I find the light in unfamiliar things
In this turning of things
God rippling through this apathetic ink
Sound of thunder in midnight hour
Rain pattering on black window

A dedication, once again I come
To the alter I lay it all down again
Manifest and true

Embracing the Silence

What happened to what Christ and I had?

What happened to the childlike faith within me?

not not being silent but embracing it...

In accordance with that...I am not going to blog until my personal walk is healthy once again!

JG

Cleaning Closets of the past

I am sitting here watching probably the most bizarre clouds I have seen in my lifetime. I feel God calling me to blog on such things but how it is going to tie into the idea I had going earlier about cleaning out my closet I have no idea.

I came back from Cali noticing one thing, my room was not liveable. This was not beacuse my parents had moved things into it but rather that I didn't care about function I cared about looks so much during the high school years that I kept all these things that were unecessary. For me being an architect noticing that the room of the childhood of my past was not the one I would want now, that was not good. I think I realized probably one thing above all else living in a dorm this year, you don't need much to live with except clothes, a bed, a roof, food etc. and in essence starting over your life pretty much you don't have much clutter there. Everything there is planned for a highly functional place,most importantly the only reason something would be there is if you brought it with you. I have gained an eternal mindset this year, all excess should probably be burned... i don't mean all excess because God wants to bless us but I am merely asking the question what is all of its purpose if it is excess?

This refitting of new thoughts into old places is not going to be easy but it is best. I remind you that the newer is often times better than the old and should be incorporated at all costs because it is better.

Back to the clouds anyway, this is the first sunset I have seen in Colorado, things are much different here than california the wind howls and blows gustily sunsets are no longer on smooth oceans but riged peaks. Things go up quick construction wise it is not like the SLO life. It rains for 15 minutes than stops for and hour than rains again for twenty then is done not the three weeks of solid rain I experienced over there. It thunders here, a lot. However, most importantly though the difference is this is the place of my childhood I need to get rid of a lot of this clutter in my room and in my life , things about my past that I don't like, and although I have moved on it is time to face them to deal with things, change things for the better, for the uncluttered life, for one of only necessity!

I miss dearly every single person I know in Cali and beyond, but a lot like my closet and moving in general things need to be organized and certain things need to be packed and laid at the bottom first in order to make sure the top does not topple over. That is my closet, and I think for the first time I feel good about being here, as Phil told me I need not worry, God is in control! These emotions and these tears I have been having lately they are because things are so good, but I need be ready at any moment to give it all away and rely soley on God, I'm not there yet.

I was reading last night Passion and Purity and one thing that stuck out above all else is we are God's we are not entitled to anything, least of all the grace bestowed upon us and the blessing, God gives to the undeserving, crowns the sinner by His grace and by His love! That's reason enough for me to give it all away. Reason enough for me to stay here seeing things I have never seen before that are bizarre, like those clouds tonight, but I'll tell you something they are most certaintly of God. There is reason enough for me to clean out the closet of my past and make this heart a temple fitting for a Holy Spirit!
JG

Phoenix

Miles above the lightning
There is candlelight here
I commune with You

A remembrance of things

Amidst all these people
Lights in organized fashion
So faint, yet so beautiful

A reminder of things

In peaceful skies
From foggy place
To clear sunset

A remainder of things

1000 miles away
Here I shall stay
Until the phoenix rises

A renewal of things

Time Enough to be Still part 3

Written at LAX

It is an odd place to be crying, the Las Angeles Airport, that is. I don’t think I could, actually I know I could not put into words all that has happened this year and how truly awesome it has been. So I should probably stop titling the blog the same thing part 1 etc. cause I’m never going to be able to put in adequate words what God has done...I scarce can take it all in.

I sit here with a smile on my face yet crying…not knowing if I have died as I said in my last blog, oh how blissful heaven be if this only a reflection. I can’t wait to be in my bed tonight and praise, cause God is far more worthy than we make Him out to be. God is Good! God is Awesome!

It’s like Elise said it’s as if God is putting everything into place that no one can screw it up. That is bliss that is my God!

As I continue to say everything is cleverly orchestrated, and wonderfully crafted and we God’s people are soaked in God’s presence!

I hope we do realize that. Out creator is a master planner a conductor of the cosmos!!!

God has told me today I do not need to withhold information secret any longer, perhaps because I am not a part anymore physically of the revival that is consuming this state I’m a part of a different thing for the while. God is in control and as Elise also said God is making this thing so foolproof that God will not not be glorified through it all. It’s ridiculous! Yet amazing!

I have stopped being all emotional for the while and I will wipe my tears away so I will sit in God’s presence watching the sunset!

Strange how something we have crafted here on earth, God still can speak through it, and He can find us anywhere we go. He endlessly pursues us to the corners of the Earth. Where we may go He will follow, actually more He will lead! I like that! I don’t like being in control, we are not meant to be. I think that is why as I look around I see so many miserable people around be; they know they are not meant to be in control, they don’t know what is though. I do! Let me tell you it is so Good! Whoever said that the Christian life was not one of blessing, oh how far they had gone from God, from relying upon his presence as the guiding light. I think blessing is another thing I need to define but that is an entire paper in itself and I figure when I get to it God’s timing it will be such! I will say it in one sentence though you are a blessing and everything around you is a blessing because it is all crafted, and it is crafted so incredibly!

I will make one other note before I do close my laptop; I have so much caffeine in me right now. On top of that the Holy Spirit. It’s like Kalen says after I come back reeking in God’s presence after Celebration each Sunday night, “Elise don’t let him have coffee anymore.” This is of course after sometimes I do not have caffeine in my system. So funny! Yah I am going to close this thing now, have a great evening all of you or if you read this in the morning good morning and have a great day. Pretty much just enjoy the fact that God is so Good and get on your knees, it’s so good to do!

Know you who read this are in your prayers, I do not know all who read it but I do keep you all in my prayers.

Night,
JGG

Time Enough to be Still part 2

It's really nice to sit for a while, everything is ready to go!

I had to say goodbye to my two best buds in SLO this morning and it was hard, but as always things don't work out the way I often think they do, which is one of the things I have finally been able to grasp these last couple days and perhaps is the last great lession I was supposed to learn. The best laid plans of man apart from God fail! God is so concerned with our heart condition that he is not going to let things go our way til he knows our hearts are aligned with his will. That takes a little shaping! That is what summer is going to be about... a little shaping in my heart!

I know though and will definatly cry on the plane ride home not because this time is sad , but becasuse I am so happy, I am so blessed, and am so grateful and my heart wells up in praise for all God has done this year. When the Moravians talked about not knowing if they had died and gone to heaven, it is something like that!

I am reminded that God keeps His promises... that is truly awesome!

God is good!

JGG

Time Enough to be Still part 1

Who is like our God? And who can compare to his endless love? The angels sing! The morning in its splendor speaks a lesser word than He! He is the great I am! Who was and is to come!

I have long sat in wonder at this Mighty King. And to say that I fully know of his matchlessness would be a lie!

I have long stood in awe of this King. Lifted my hands and praised him with all I can give at that present time!

I have long heard his unbearable but soft voice . I have answered and have seen because of it his matchlessness.

I have taken time to be still. And have found comfort in the unsettling thought!

And the words still echo, who is like our God? Who can compare?

I sit at the end of this year, and I want to throw a big party, not because of the end of school, but because there is a path that He has laid out that is the most amazing path! It is so amazing!

I can't seem to gather any signifigant thoughts because the simple is so profound in the deepest way!

And as I sit in my barren room there is life in a much deeper depth here...although there is a necessity for the difficult times ahead, God is faithful. God is strong! God is amazing! God is love! God is beauty! God is joy, peace and understanding! And I feel like crying because God is so good. And although I may have to say goodbye to this place I love, I am filled because of this place, God's chosen place!

And I find that I am so satisfied but it is not the time to remain complacent cause there is a deeper life past the deep. If only we could be pure enough to remain in the filled place.

And as I take time enough to be still tonight I am amazed, I am speechless, yet filled with so many thoughts so many words, that I want to speak because of God being God! but for now I will refrain I will enjoy the evening I will enjoy the transition time praising God for being matchless, endless, and more than the less!

Bravery

Wise men who sit and see
All life's mysteries, the grandiose mystery
Scattered thoughts put together
perhaps forming a greater mystery

Reasonings, and empty things
Thoughts and lies, prayers and honesty
a monumental bravery

And we seem so often scattered
but we are tied together as one
Like the mighty ocean's waves
moving us together in unity

Things we see and things we don't
The better do we understand
Blessings, could we ask for more

The Spirit moving, deeper ways understood
The sound resonating, a mystery
The lesser thing, scattered
lesser perception of the undertaking

And we seem so often scattered
but we are tied together as one
Like the mighty ocean's waves
moving us together in unity

Beauty, mystery, oh the unseen!

JGG

Meant to be read slowly...on words

I have tried several times to sit down and blog, all failed. I don't know what it is about the chaos about the end of the year that seems to make me like this. As of late though I can not seem to gather my thoughts. It must have to do something with the fact that we are all anticipating, moving on to a different thing, with the summer approaching. I have heard it said many times that while in college one is in a constant transition. We each long for what we use to have and inside each one of us is nervous about what is to come...but being packed up and ready for transition it begs the question does God have some great last lesson to teach me?

Anyways I think I should be able to offer some grand advice, but I find myself lacking a great deal at the end of this year. I find myself knowing that there is so much more to go. I understand fully that I am under a strong and mighty power. I understand also that there is great power that lies within me. I find myself exhausted though, and wondering how I am going to continue on with the plans God has for me.

Elise told me tonight that the night they presented what was going on in Asia she was crippled in the anticipation and the restlesness and couldn't move. Sitting there she couldn't figure out what that uncertainty was and why it lied within her. The uncertainty she felt was the one that was to come within me the one that cripples me and confuses me. As I am writing on a day that is not going to be a good one when history is played out God is asking me one question, as he has always asked "will you accept what I have for you?" and I think it would be so easy to just live a life of simplicity and one that doesn't require the sacrifice, but God says there is need to be neglecting mankind completly so that I might pursue one thing. And it sounds so clishe oftentimes but please know the sincerity with which my questioning mind is wrestling. God has shown me glimpses, they are imbedded deep within me, he has made my paths to lead to a point that is coming very soon. All this lack of clairty is the most clarity I've seen in a while. It is so confusing.

I know the wonders that God is going to do, but he asks us will we accept what he has for us, will we share in "blessing?"

(keep that in mind)

(new thought)

In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being.

I am going to say that the gospel is the Word. The story of salvation is written in the Word. Our response is what we do with the Word spoken to us. When the bible says walk in Him as Colossians 2 says we are to walk in Him, not walking in him. We are so prone to lean on ourselves that we forget we need not lean on ourselves

I ask the question how will I carry on.There was a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus who first used the term Logos( word in the greek) around 600 B.C. designating the divine reason or plan which coordinates a changing universe. This word was well suited to John's purpose in John 1. I will not carry on that is the whole point, He will carry on within me. He is the constant amidst chaos He is The Word it doesn't matter about our changing words and their meanings he is the Meaning. The only stregth I have for the difficult journey ahead is in Him, I know full well exhausted old me is nothing apart from Christ, and I like it that way. I like leaning not on my understanding. I have done that far too much, its time to let go a little more til all of me is gone and christ is completly formed in me.

(one other thought)

Why do we not realize we are in a war?

And there will be casulties on both sides.

Not everyone is going to accept christ, I believe it is within God's power, but it is not within each man's power to accept. I expect everything from God, but I have no expectations of man.

That is a shame, but we must not let the fact we lost one consume us.

JG

Living Fire

Oh, for the flame of living fire
Which shone so bright in saints of old.
Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,
Calm in distress, in danger bold.

Where is that Spirit, Lord which dwelt
In Abram's breast and sealed him Thine
Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt
And glow with energy divine?

That Spirit which from age to age
Proclaimed Thy love and taught Thy ways,
Brightened Isaiah's vivid page
And breathed in David's hallowed lays.

Oh, for the flame of living fire
Which shone so bright in saints of old.
Which bade their souls to heaven aspire,
Calm in distress, in danger bold.

JG