on the heart

source

“A man must at times be hard as nails: willing to face up to the truth about himself, and about the woman he loves, refusing compromise when compromise is wrong. But he must also be tender. No weapon will breach the armor of a woman's resentment like tenderness.” Elisabeth Elliot

“Falling in love in a Christian way is to say, 'I am excited about your future and I want to be part of getting you there. I'm signing up for the journey with you. Would you sign up for the journey to my true self with me? It's going to be hard but I want to get there.”  Tim Keller

"They say there is a young lady in New Haven who is beloved of that almighty Being, who made and rules the world, and that there are certain seasons in which this great Being, in some way or other invisible, comes to her and fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight, and that she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on him—that she expects after a while to be received up where he is, to be raised up out of the world and caught up into heaven; being assured that he loves her too well to let her remain at a distance from him always. There she is to dwell with him, and to be ravished with his love and delight forever. Therefore, if you present all the world before her, with the richest of its treasures, she disregards it and cares not for it, and is unmindful of any pain or affliction. She has a strange sweetness in her mind, and singular purity in her affections; is most just and conscientious in all her actions; and you could not persuade her to do anything wrong or sinful, if you would give her all the world, lest she should offend this great Being. She is of a wonderful sweetness, calmness and universal benevolence of mind; especially after those seasons in which this great God has manifested himself to her mind. She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly; and seems to be always of joy and pleasure; and no one knows for what. She loves to be alone, and to wander in the fields and on the mountains, and seems to have someone invisible always conversing with her." Jonathan Edwards, on Sarah Pierpont (his future wife)

"Agape describes a different kind of love. It is as much a matter of the mind than the heart, because it chooses to love the undeserving. Agape is not simply an emotion which rises unbidden in our hearts; it is a principle by which we deliberately live." William Barclay

Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth. Psalm 31:5

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. Psalm 40:8-10

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

sidenote;
late night bike to beach & run on the beach (:
1.18.12 bouldering (:
1.22 vhold!

the harvest is now

source

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37-38

-U.S. = 4.48% of the world population
-only 4.6% (333) of the class of 2010 entering seminary students (7259) plan to commit to foreign missions
-of 15000 people groups, ~5885 people groups AKA 2.75 billion people are unreached

isn't the great commission directed towards all followers?
why are there so few workers?

my mind can’t wrap itself around the deplorable discrepancy between the need & the amount of workers.

if such an overwhelming percentage of the world doesn't even know that there is a Jesus to believe in, who am we to presume that we can have the audacity to say "wait, God. let me finish my degree. let me get married. let me get a job. and then i'll go when i feel ready & when i've lived my life." we don't have that luxury.

God doesn't need our help. & yet he graciously offers us the opportunity to participate in His kingdom plain; what foolishness has possessed us to pass up that opportunity? christians are daily passing up the opportunity to serve on the winning team. that's like everyday civilians saying "no thanks, i see more value playing in my cramped backyard" after being offered a chance to play on the winning team on the next superbowl.

furthermore, what a heartbreaking insult it must be to God when He says, "i have a mission for you. i'll provide 100% of the strength & means necessary, and i promise you joy & fulfillment" to which we respond with a miserable, "i don't know if i can do it... what if i fail? i honestly prefer slaving away at my fruitless job right now." i can only imagine how saddened God is by our continual rejection caused by stupid misunderstandings of His character. in any case though, God is omnipotent and His kingdom will be accomplished on earth no matter what.

"...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

sidenote;
[ the Joshua Project: 10/40 window ]
[ Operation World ]
baby steps:
i had a conversation with mother without raising my voice
i messaged him
k God. let's do this