casting vs. carrying.

sometimes we go through seasons that just feel HEAVY. the burdens of life and the weight of the world are on your shoulders. and it's too much to bear.

thankfully, the God of the bible commands us to let Him work for us before commanding us to work for Him...

"COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
matthew 11:28

1 peter 5:7 tells us to "cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you" ...and the word "cast" here is only used one other time in the bible -- in luke 19:35, when the disciples "cast their garments on the colt." so when you cast, you literally don't carry it any more. it's not on you. your load is lifted. you are free. and God is willing to carry your anxieties the same way a donkey carries your baggage.

ok, so that sounds great in theory, but do i really believe it? if casting is so easy why do i continue to carry it all myself?
because i don't trust the 2nd half of 1 peter 5:7 - "...because He cares for you."

i have to believe this promise. i have to trust Him. God cares about the things that have me worrying...and He wants to be trusted for them. when it says that He cares, it means he will not stand by and let things develop without His influence. He will act. He will work. not always the way we would. He's God. He sees a thousand connections we don't see.

so we believe & trust Him for specific things. and we pray.
john piper says it this way: "trusting that God cares about your anxiety is expressed in prayer. prayer is the trust turned toward God and spoken."

so today, i cast...

Come to God & rest.

Allow your heart to listen to His promises.

Specifically pray about the situation.

Trust that He is sovereign over all of it.

(i blogged about this same issue a year and a half ago - so obviously a lesson i'm continuing to learn...)

what am i doING....?

it's that time again. what marisa is do-ING...

seeing // snow fall outside my window...nashville blizzard 2010!!

reading // walking on water and crazy love

listening // to lady a's new album (personal fav: "hello world") and still obsessed w/ one republic

traveling // to colorado next week for some snowboarding in vail!

praying // for haiti. for matt chandler.

planning // the midtown africa trip for this summer...we're going back to gulu!

wearing // so much mocha club merch. i may or may not have one of everything :)

anticipating // the LOST season premiere on tuesday!! 6th & final season!!

loving // some hot yoga. i never thought i'd say that...but it's awesome.

watching // the grammy's sunday night - lady a is up for 2 awards & annie is there as hillary's date! we're obviously having a huge watching party!!

what are you doing??

tuesday tunes - DMB.

no - not this DMB.

DMB as in dave, matt, and brandon. as in an amazing event happening tonight we're calling mocha club LIVE... (see also: the thing i've been planning that is about to make me crazy!)

if you follow me on twitter or are friends with me on facebook, you have seen me post about this nonstop the last week. (sorry i'm not sorry) but seriously - you don't want to miss it.
the guys are gonna be playing some songs, talking about their experiences in africa, and fielding questions live via twitter.
and it all benefits mocha club's clean water projects in africa. (just like this)

so head on over to live.mochaclub.org - watch the promo video to get a little taste of what's to come, and go ahead and register for the event! (it's only $1.50)

everything starts at 8pm (central time) - so make sure you log in and join us!!

tuesday tunes - thad cockrell.

if you don't know about this guy, you are in for a treat! thad is a super gifted singer and songwriter, and writes with a ton of soul. and i've sung along to his songs both in bars and in church.
get your hands on his album, to be loved, and get a feel for his greatness from this live in studio performance on lightning 100 (our local nashville independent music station):

MLK day.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man of great vision for peace and unity in our world. in his honor, let's remember these wise things he said today..

i have decided to stick with love. hate is too great a burden to bear.

faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase.

we must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.

life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'what are you doing for others?'

our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

we may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.

we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.

injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

hosanna.

reading stories and seeing pictures of the devastation in haiti the last 48 hours is breaking my heart. all i wanna do is weep and cry out for help. and then "hosanna" (hear it here) came on my pandora station today...

"Hoshana" (הושענא) is a hebrew word meaning please save or save now... "Hosanna" (greek: ὡσαννά, hōsanna) is the cry of praise or adoration shouted in recognition of the messiah-ship of Jesus on his entry into jerusalem. overall, it seems that "hosanna" is a cry for salvation; while at the same time is a declaration of praise.
so as we cry out for God to heal and save the hurting and the broken in haiti (and all around the world) we can also sit in a place of praise that He is good, and He has a plan, and that He can turn our mourning to laughter and our sorrows to joy.

Praise be to the only One who has the power to heal.

HOSANNA (by hillsong)

i see the King of glory, coming on the clouds with fire
the whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes

i see His love and mercy, washing over all our sin
the people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna in the highest

i see a generation, rising up to take their place
with selfless faith, with selfless faith

i see a near revival, stirring as we pray and seek
we're on our knees, we're on our knees

heal my heart and make it clean
open up my eyes to the things unseen
show me how to love like you have loved me
break my heart from what breaks yours
everything I am for your kingdoms cause
as I go from nothing to eternity

tuesday tunes - kris allen.

i was really tempted to do another tuesday tune on one republic's latest album -- because i can't. stop. listening. to. it. do you have it yet? only $8 on amazon this week!! i mean, 2 minutes of strings at the end of "waking up" - are you kidding me? amazing.

but...this week it's about kris allen. (who happens to do a pretty good job of one republic's "appologize") he's this past year's american idol winner, and i thought it only appropriate since the new season of idol was starting tonight!

kris was one of those guys that slowly grew on me throughout the season ...especially after his rendition of "falling slowly" from once and an acoustic version of kanye's "heartless". (i'm also a huge fan of him singing "god of this city"!!)

he really is just so like-able.

and i do love his first single, "live like we're dying". you can go listen to it, and the rest of his self-titled debut album here.

and here's the video:

manifesto.

inspired by my favorite athletica company, lululemon, i wanted to do a little manifesto of my own for 2010. {some of these are ones i love from lulu, and some are my own...}

start every morning with prayer

sweat once a day
laugh at my mistakes
always take the stairs
value people over possessions
drink 8+ glasses of FRESH water every day
try a new food every month
learn another langauge
take more risks
travel light and travel often
make music
try new recipes + host dinner parties
read (and finish) a book every month
live in the moment

tuesday tunes - phil wickham.

i've been a fan of phil wickham for a long time. {i mentioned his song "true love" on my good friday post} he creates amazing "christian" art (side note: i hate using "christian" as an adjective..but that's another post for another day) without it being cheesy or predictable. i've had his 1st 2 albums (self-titled and cannons) as favorites in my itunes the last few years, so i was excited for album #3, heaven and earth. i finally purchased it this past weekend and i'm loving it. my favorite is a song called "safe" that talks about how even when the world is falling apart around us, God is with us and we are safe in His arms.

and here's a video for another of my favorites, an old one called "divine romance"....

2010: the year of contentment.

according to the traditional chinese zodiac, 2010 is the year of the tiger. (obviously, not this tiger)
but for me, i've decided it's the year of contentment.

i am so unbelievably blessed...i have a dream job, i own a beautiful home, i'm a part of an unmatchable community and have more friends than i know what to do with, i'm constantly getting the opportunity to travel to new places...and yet...it's never enough.
i always want more.

am i the only one who wrestles between trusting God to "give us the desires of our hearts" (psalm 37:4) and being "content with what i have" (hebrews 13:5)??

in philippians 4:11, paul says "for i have learned in whatever situation i am to be content" and this verse is followed soon after by the popular (thanks tim tebow) "i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". i love the way the message version puts it: "i've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances...whatever i have, wherever i am, i can make it through anything in the One who makes me who i am." whatever situation...whatever circumstance...do i believe i can make it through anything?
then, 2 corinthians 9:8 states "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all contentment in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
how? an abundance of grace. why? for an abundance of good works.
God gives abundantly and expects us to give abundantly, too...of our time, our money, our gifts...our lives. so often we are busy looking at greener grasses on the other side of the proverbial fence - comparing and complaining - that we can't see what it is that we can offer...what has already been given. i know that's the case with me.

the grass will always appear greener on the other side.

so, my "resolution" or "goal" or whatever you want to call it, for 2010: to fight for contentment. to fight to see what it is that i have already been given.
and to be grateful.
thankful.
humbled.
honored.
patient.
and content.