Psalm 71

Every now and then, I read a passage of scripture and think "this is exactly what I need to get through this week." Here lately these verses have had an overriding theme of REJOICE. Everything from the novels I'm reading to scripture I come across to my devotionals has had something to do with finding joy in life, even when things seem impossible to rejoice over. A few days ago, my best friend shared a verse from Psalm 71. This led me to read the entire psalm and I literally just sat there with my mouth open thinking "this is the definition of rejoice." The psalmist explains just what it means to praise God in all things and rejoice through the bad times. I encourage you to read this psalm and take it to heart. Follow the psalmist's advice and i can garuntee that you will start to notice yourself truly rejoicing in everything you do.

Your Fellow Water Walker,
-Ashlee

Psalm 71

 ¹ In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
   let me never be put to shame.
² In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
   turn your ear to me and save me.
³ Be my rock of refuge,
   to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
   for you are my rock and my fortress.
⁴ Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
   from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.  ⁵ For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,
   my confidence since my youth.
⁶ From birth I have relied on you;
   you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
   I will ever praise you.
⁷ I have become a sign to many;
   you are my strong refuge.
⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise,
   declaring your splendor all day long.
 ⁹ Do not cast me away when I am old;
   do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
¹⁰ For my enemies speak against me;
   those who wait to kill me conspire together.
¹¹ They say, “God has forsaken him;
   pursue him and seize him,
   for no one will rescue him.”
¹² Do not be far from me, my God;
   come quickly, God, to help me.
¹³ May my accusers perish in shame;
   may those who want to harm me
   be covered with scorn and disgrace.
 ¹⁴ As for me, I will always have hope;
   I will praise you more and more.
 ¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
   of your saving acts all day long—
   though I know not how to relate them all.
¹⁶ I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
   I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
¹⁷ Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.
 ¹⁹ Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
   you who have done great things.
   Who is like you, God?
²⁰ Though you have made me see troubles,
   many and bitter,
   you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
   you will again bring me up.
²¹ You will increase my honor
   and comfort me once more.
 ²² I will praise you with the harp
   for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
   Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will shout for joy
   when I sing praise to you—
   I whom you have delivered.
²⁴ My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
   all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
   have been put to shame and confusion.

Song of Encouragement

I know I normally write a blog based on a bible verse or passage or something that has happened in my life. Today though, I was driving back to college after a weekend at home and while listening to my TobyMac cd, a song came on that just completely grabbed me. So instead of writing something, I'm posting a video of the song as well as the lyrics. Listen to it and read along. This song says exactly what I created this blog to say.

"If you could hold on
To the One that’s holding you
There is nothing that can stop this crazy love
From breaking through,"

Your Fellow Water Walker,
-Ashlee

 "Hold On"
Wake up to the morning light
Wipe away the lonely nights
Let a brand new day wash over you

Wanna see you smile again
Show some love to your crazy friends
Wipe your tears away, those days are through

If you move just a little bit closer
You can put your head on my shoulder
Yeah, yeah

So baby hold on
Just another day or two
I can see the clouds are moving faster now
And the sun is breaking through
If you could hold on
To the One that’s holding you
There is nothing that can stop this crazy love
From breaking through, we’re breaking through

Wake up to the rising sun
Thank the Lord for the things He’s done
Lift your eyes to the hope that’s ever true

Wanna see you smiling girl
You’re a light in this jaded world
Wipe away those tears
This one’s for you

And the stars are up there shining for you
Oh, how the Father does adore you
His love will never change
And you and I, we were born to follow
The hope that will lead us to tomorrow
And no one can take it away


*"Hold On" is from TobyMac's Tonight cd

Content At All Times

I feel like I have been going 90-to-nothing for the past couple of weeks, sometimes with no clear calm down time in sight. Already this semester I have stage managed a play, a dance piece, and am now acting in a scene that a friend of mine is directing for a class. If this sounds like a lot of work, trust me, there's a reason.
Despite all that work though, I have had a constant thought going through my head. I struggle day in and day out with simply being content in the life that I live. It is so easy to be swept away as part of the materialistic world that we live in. To think that we always need to move on to the next big thing. That we always need to have the world's norm in order to be accepted. But you want to know a secret? That's not the way God works. He accepts us. He LOVES us. And isn't that more than any of us could possibly ask for? What reason do we have to not be content if we have God's love?

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
-Philippians 4:12

Your Fellow Water Walker,
-Ashlee